In a shocking turn of events, legendary NFL quarterback and New England Patriots icon Tom Brady said he is returning for his 23rd season less than two months following announcing his retirement from football.Brady, 44, announced via social media Sunday night that he will be looking to take care of “unfinished business” with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season.”These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa,” Brady wrote.The seven-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player will be entering his third season with the Buccaneers following playing the first 20 years of his career with the Patriots, who drafted him with the 199th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft.On Feb. 1, Brady announced on social media that he would no longer be making the “competitive commitment” needed to play at a high level in the National Football League.Brady’s emotional statement specifically mentioned family, the league, his fans, the Buccaneers and others who played a role in his historic career. Notably, coach Bill Belichick, the Kraft family and the words “Patriots” and “retirement” were not mentioned in the statement.”The word ‘retirement’ is often hard for athletes to use. It just is. Think regarding it: Retirement is the end of your life as you know it since childhood. You played this sport your whole life – since you were a child, in high school, in college, in pro sports and now, all of a sudden, you’re not going to be doing anything. That is often a hard word for guys to use. It is interesting he did not use it,” SportsCenter 5’s Duke Castiglione said at the time. “I have the greatest respect for Tom personally and always will,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft wrote in a statement. “His humility, coupled with his drive and ambition, truly made him special. I will always feel a close bond to him and will always consider him an extension of my immediate family.”Brady’s status was in limbo following ESPN and others initially reported on Brady’s impending retirement on Jan. 29, but the star quarterback made his announcement to step away from football just several days later.The change of course for Brady comes the day following he attended Manchester United’s soccer match once morest Tottenham Hotspur in England. He sat with the Glazer Family, who own Manchester United and the Buccaneers.The Buccaneers are hopeful star tight end Rob Gronkowski also returns. Brady convinced his buddy to unretire to join him in Tampa in 2020. The team lost Pro Bowl guard Ali Marpet, who retired at age 28. But wide receiver Chris Godwin is staying following getting the franchise tag.Brady’s decision comes days before the NFL free agency period begins. The Bucs have several key players set to hit the open market, including Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen, running back Leonard Fournette, cornerback Carton Davis, safety Jordan Whitehead, linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Gronkowski and others.Brady won his first championship over 20 years ago in just his second NFL season, as he led the Patriots to an upset over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI on Feb. 3, 2002.He then led New England to back-to-back titles during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. In the process, the Patriots set an NFL record by winning 21 straight games between Week 5 of the 2003 season and Week 8 of the 2004 campaign.After a decade, Brady and the Patriots won three titles in a five-season span from 2014 to 2018. He led two incredible Super Bowl comebacks once morest the Seattle Seahawks (Feb. 1, 2015) and the Atlanta Falcons (Feb. 5, 2017), the latter of which marked the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.Brady’s final championship with the Patriots came once morest the Rams, who relocated to Los Angeles, in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019.TB12 left New England in free agency following the 2019 season and joined the Buccaneers in March 2020. Former Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski teamed up with Brady in Tampa and they were both instrumental in leading the Bucs’ 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs that season. Brady claimed his fifth Super Bowl MVP trophy in the process.Brady’s final season ended with a heartbreaking loss to the Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs last weekend.Patriots fans did get a chance to show their appreciation to Brady this season when he and the Buccaneers visited New England in Week 4. Tampa Bay won 19-17 at Gillette Stadium.In his illustrious career, Brady has earned three NFL regular-season MVP awards (2007, 2010, 2017) and earned his record 15th Pro Bowl selection this season. In 2021, he led the NFL with 43 touchdown passes and a career-high 5,316 passing yards.Brady is the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards (84,250), passing touchdowns (624) and completions (7,263). He also holds multiple all-time playoff records, including 13,049 passing yards and 86 passing touchdowns in postseason play.The University of Michigan product’s Super Bowl records, in addition to seven titles and five game MVP awards, include completions (277), touchdown passes (21) and passing yards (3,039). His single-game Super Bowl records include most completions (43; Super Bowl LI in 2017) and passing yards (505; Super Bowl LII in 2018).Brady will ultimately go down in history for the statistic that matters most, wins. His 278 wins combined in the regular season and postseason are 78 more than the next quarterback on the all-time list, Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. His overall winning percentage of .766 is the best among quarterbacks with at least 100 career starts.AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.
In a shocking turn of events, legendary NFL quarterback and New England Patriots icon Tom Brady said he is returning for his 23rd season less than two months following announcing his retirement from football.
Brady, 44, announced via social media Sunday night that he will be looking to take care of “unfinished business” with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season.
“These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa,” Brady wrote.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player will be entering his third season with the Buccaneers following playing the first 20 years of his career with the Patriots, who drafted him with the 199th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft.
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On Feb. 1, Brady announced on social media that he would no longer be making the “competitive commitment” needed to play at a high level in the National Football League.
Brady’s emotional statement specifically mentioned family, the league, his fans, the Buccaneers and others who played a role in his historic career. Notably, coach Bill Belichick, the Kraft family and the words “Patriots” and “retirement” were not mentioned in the statement.
“The word ‘retirement’ is often hard for athletes to use. It just is. Think regarding it: Retirement is the end of your life as you know it since childhood. You played this sport your whole life – since you were a child, in high school, in college, in pro sports and now, all of a sudden, you’re not going to be doing anything. That is often a hard word for guys to use. It is interesting he did not use it,” SportsCenter 5’s Duke Castiglione said at the time.
“I have the greatest respect for Tom personally and always will,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft wrote in a statement. “His humility, coupled with his drive and ambition, truly made him special. I will always feel a close bond to him and will always consider him an extension of my immediate family.”
Brady’s status was in limbo following ESPN and others initially reported on Brady’s impending retirement on Jan. 29but the star quarterback made his announcement to step away from football just several days later.
The change of course for Brady comes the day following he attended Manchester United’s soccer match once morest Tottenham Hotspur in England. He sat with the Glazer Family, who own Manchester United and the Buccaneers.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
The Buccaneers are hopeful star tight end Rob Gronkowski also returns. Brady convinced his buddy to unretire to join him in Tampa in 2020. The team lost Pro Bowl guard Ali Marpet, who retired at age 28. But wide receiver Chris Godwin is staying following getting the franchise tag.
Brady’s decision comes days before the NFL free agency period begins. The Bucs have several key players set to hit the open market, including Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen, running back Leonard Fournette, cornerback Carton Davis, safety Jordan Whitehead, linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Gronkowski and others.
Brady won his first championship over 20 years ago in just his second NFL season, as he led the Patriots to an upset over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI on Feb. 3, 2002.
He then led New England to back-to-back titles during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. In the process, the Patriots set an NFL record by winning 21 straight games between Week 5 of the 2003 season and Week 8 of the 2004 campaign.
After a decade, Brady and the Patriots won three titles in a five-season span from 2014 to 2018. He led two incredible Super Bowl comebacks once morest the Seattle Seahawks (Feb. 1, 2015) and the Atlanta Falcons (Feb. 5, 2017), the latter of which marked the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.
Brady’s final championship with the Patriots came once morest the Rams, who relocated to Los Angeles, in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019.
TB12 left New England in free agency following the 2019 season and joined the Buccaneers in March 2020. Former Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski teamed up with Brady in Tampa and they were both instrumental in leading the Bucs’ 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs that season. Brady claimed his fifth Super Bowl MVP trophy in the process.
Brady’s final season ended with a heartbreaking loss to the Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs last weekend.
Patriots fans did get a chance to show their appreciation to Brady this season when he and the Buccaneers visited New England in Week 4. Tampa Bay won 19-17 at Gillette Stadium.
In his illustrious career, Brady has earned three NFL regular-season MVP awards (2007, 2010, 2017) and earned his record 15th Pro Bowl selection this season. In 2021, he led the NFL with 43 touchdown passes and a career-high 5,316 passing yards.
Brady is the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards (84,250), passing touchdowns (624) and completions (7,263). He also holds multiple all-time playoff records, including 13,049 passing yards and 86 passing touchdowns in postseason play.
The University of Michigan product’s Super Bowl records, in addition to seven titles and five game MVP awards, include completions (277), touchdown passes (21) and passing yards (3,039). His single-game Super Bowl records include most completions (43; Super Bowl LI in 2017) and passing yards (505; Super Bowl LII in 2018).
Brady will ultimately go down in history for the statistic that matters most, wins. His 278 wins combined in the regular season and postseason are 78 more than the next quarterback on the all-time list, Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. His overall winning percentage of .766 is the best among quarterbacks with at least 100 career starts.
AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.
