“I’m retiring. For good.”
With those four words, legendary quarterback Tom Brady called it a career Wednesday in a video posted to his social media accounts.
The announcement comes exactly one year after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback last shared retirement plans in a post that he ended up retracting a few weeks later.
This time, the decision is going to stick, Brady said Wednesday.
“I won’t be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year,” he joked.
He went on to thank viewers for supporting him throughout his career and to thank his family, friends, teammates and competitors.
“I could go on forever,” he said.
At times, it felt as if 45-year-old Brady’s career would go on forever, as he continued to play at a high level long after the age at which other quarterbacks hit their physical limit.
Brady spent 23 seasons in the league, most of them with the New England Patriots. He won the Super Bowl seven times and collected three regular season and five Super Bowl MVP awards.
In his video, Brady said he “wouldn’t change a thing” about his career.
“Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I wouldn’t change a thing. Love you all,” he said.
Here’s how former and current NFL players reacted to Brady’s news: