Tom Brady left no room for interpretation on Tuesday: The 44-year-old quarterback is finally calling it a career after 22 seasons in the NFL that saw him earn three MVP awards and win seven Super Bowls — six with the Patriots, one with the Buccaneers.
Brady made it official on his Instagram account, saying he believes football is an "all-in proposition — if a 100 percent commitment isn't there, you won't succeed, and succeeding is what I love so much about our game.
"This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore."
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) February 1, 2022
The news, while not wholly unexpected, still likely comes as a shock for NFL fans, players and coaches. Brady has been ubiquitous in the sport since the early 2000s — with four more Super Bowl titles still yet to come. He has smashed every major passing record and has demonstrated a rare longevity that was only made more impressive considering how effective Brady was at quarterback: Indeed, he led the league in 2021 with passing yards (5,361), passing touchdowns (43), completions (485), attempts (719) and passing yards per game (312.7).
And now, his career is over. His announcement, naturally, created a stir on social media, where the NFL world couldn't quite believe that Brady, finally — finally — was retiring.
Below are some highlights from the reactions:
MORE: Tom Brady retires: Buccaneers QB bows out of NFL after 22-year career
But seriously, congrats on a first-ballot, Hall of Fame career, @TomBrady.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) February 1, 2022
We may not miss seeing you on the field, but the entire football world will. pic.twitter.com/sgvPfpUa7B
The best QB of all time retired, DANG… he threw his last TD on me 😂
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) February 1, 2022
"It was an honor and a privilege to compete against him on the field, and I truly appreciate his friendship off the field."
— Omaha Productions (@OmahaProd) February 1, 2022
Peyton Manning on @TomBrady 's retirement: pic.twitter.com/yuGQwCCn6B
Roger Goodell on Tom Brady’s retirement. pic.twitter.com/IMl49R3L2K
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 1, 2022
It was quite the ride.
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) February 1, 2022
Thank you and congratulations, @TomBrady . pic.twitter.com/0gPwUROEkz
A privilege to watch and a dream come true.
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) February 1, 2022
Statement from Robert Kraft on Tom Brady: https://t.co/YsXbvFx12d pic.twitter.com/r6zIMHKCU1
Going to miss you, @TomBrady . pic.twitter.com/u0at0Ek1Ox
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) February 1, 2022
Forever a part of Buccaneers history.
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) February 1, 2022
Thank you for everything, @TomBrady . 🙏 pic.twitter.com/XkMON0SY8j
We’ve had some memorable battles over the years, @TomBrady .
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) February 1, 2022
Congrats on an incredible career! pic.twitter.com/FlSro9FtSe
With the news of @TomBrady 's retirement today, he would first be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2027. @Patriots | @Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/Rh44Dy0ZfI
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) February 1, 2022