Ben Roethlisberger didn't defeat Tom Brady in many big games during his Hall of Fame career. But when it comes to retiring, Big Ben has TB12 beat.
Brady officially retired from the NFL Tuesday, and the rollout was a complete mess. First, Brady's fitness company, TB12 Sports, prematurely posted an announcement on Twitter Saturday, following ESPN's report. Then Brady and his camp spent the next three days gaslighting Adam Schefter, pretending he hadn't yet made up his mind.
When Brady released his official statement Tuesday, the moment was anti-climactic, and for Patriots fans, it was downright offensive. Brady omitted the Patriots from his nearly 1,000-word statement, but yet found space to thank everybody affiliated with the Buccaneers, right down to the custodial staff. All the Patriots received were some banal words shared on his Instagram story.
You better catch it while you can, because it will disappear in 24 hours.
Of course, Roethlisberger's and Brady's circumstances are very different. Ben indicated he was retiring before the season concluded, which allowed Steelers fans to shower him with an incredible send-off. Roethlisberger also retired a member of the Steelers, where he played his entire career. Brady played the last two years of his career in Tampa Bay, and left the Patriots on acrimonious terms.
But still, Brady is the ultimate perfectionist and self-promoter. He recently co-produced a 10-part ESPN+ special reliving all of his Super Bowl runs, for goodness sake. Yet, his retirement announcement was devoid of pageantry. It was handled in a haphazard manner.
Roethlisberger, meanwhile, came out with his own slickly produced video. The Steelers followed with a video featuring many of Ben's teammates showering him with praise.
A message from Ben:@steelers #NFL #SteelersNation #ThankYou#HereWeGo #LoveAndHonor pic.twitter.com/pUbKGO1nUs
— BigBen7.com (@_BigBen7) January 27, 2022
When all-time greats retire, it should be time to celebrate their careers and accomplishments. Somehow, Brady found a way to offend multiple parties. The conversation today largely isn't about his seven Super Bowl rings or status as the greatest quarterback ever. It's about why he snubbed Patriots fans in his farewell post.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft was also reportedly upset at the slight.
Ben's retirement announcement was all class. Brady's was sloppy and seemingly about settling scores.
