Tom Brady announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday morning. This time it’s for good.
The longtime New England Patriots quarterback spent his last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he won his seventh and final Super Bowl in 2021. Brady is the undisputed GOAT at the quarterback position and there are plenty of good young quarterbacks ready to lead the league.
After last year’s retirement, however, there are some people speculating that Brady could return to play again given the right situation. But it did seem like the end of the road for Brady.
NFL Insider Brian Baldinger of the Audacy Original Podcast “In The Huddle” explained why he knew from the moment he saw the video that Brady’s retirement is real this time.
“I knew as soon as I saw it, it’s real,” Baldinger said (2:33 in player above). “This isn’t ‘OK, I’ll be back in June. Highest bidder.’ This is it.”
Brady announced this retirement one year after his initial one, which he walked back after just 40 days. However, there are multiple reasons why Baldinger knows this one is for good.
“One, if you remember last year’s retirement, it was kind of a botched thing. It didn’t come from him. It came through sources, then it leaked, then he had to sort of own up to it. I don’t think that’s the way he wanted to do it,” Baldinger explained. “What we saw (Wednesday), it was just him and a camera, no glitz, no graphics, just him.”
Brady took to Twitter on Wednesday morning with a simple, heartfelt video announcing his retirement.
It really does feel like this time it’s for good for Brady, who must’ve realized that his time has come.
“Nobody wants to stay too long at the party,” Baldinger said. “I feel like that’s what this was all about (on Wednesday). The party has been great. Forget about beating father time and all those other cliches out there.
“He looked in the mirror going ‘I’m not the same guy that I was. Down 28-3 to the Falcons, I can bring us back.’ I don’t think he thinks he’s that guy. I don’t think if he went to the right situation with all the right players that he would be that guy. He owned up to it (on Wednesday) and we’re not going to see any lookback going ‘I can still do this’ or anything like that.”
Brady will have plenty of opportunities in retirement – he had already signed a 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX. The GOAT will look to transfer his greatness to the broadcast booth.
All in all, Brady went out the right way after a disappointing final season.
“I think it was firm and I think he did it the right way,” Baldinger concluded.
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