NFL legend Tom Brady is set to retire from the game after 22 seasons and seven Super Bowl titles according to ESPN.
The 44-year-old quarterback bowed out of the NFL playoffs last week when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were beaten 30-27 by the Los Angeles Rams.
Brady had led the Bucs to the NFL title last season, clinching his seventh career crown after moving to Tampa Bay from the New England Patriots in 2020.
Reports had emerged in the lead-up to the Rams’ Divisional Round playoff loss that he was non-committal about his future, with speculation swirling since the Bucs’ premature exit.
Brady had previously floated playing until he was 50 but also said on the ‘Let’s Go’ podcast this week that he may retire for family reasons,
“It pains her (Brady’s wife) to see me get hit out there,” Brady told the ‘Let’s Go’ podcast. “And she deserves what she needs from me as a husband and my kids deserve what they need from me as a dad.
“Playing football, I get so much joy from (it). I love it. But not playing football, there’s a lot of joy in that for me also now, too, with my kids getting older and seeing them develop and grow. So, all these things need to be considered and they will be.”
Amid the Saturday speculation, Brady’s agent Don Yee requested patience and insisted the 15-time Pro Bowl QB would speak soon.
“I understand the advance speculation about Tom’s future. Without getting into the accuracy or inaccuracy of what’s being reported, Tom will be the only person to express his plans with complete accuracy,” Yee said according to ESPN.
“He knows the realities of the football business and planning calendar as well as anybody, so that should be soon.”
