Tom Brady Retires

This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.

I’ve done a lot of reflecting this past week and have asked myself difficult questions. And I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it’s best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes.

To my Bucs teammates the past two years, I love you guys, and I have loved going to battle with you. You have dug so deep to challenge yourself, and it inspired me to wake up every day and give you my best. I am always here for you guys and want to see you continue to push yourselves to be your best. I couldn’t be happier with what we accomplished together.

To all the Bucs fans, thank you. I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived here, but your support and embrace have enriched my life and that of my family. I’ve been so honored to play for such a passionate and fun Fanbase. What a Krewe!!! To the city of Tampa and the entire Tampa-St. Petersburg region, thank you it has been wonderful to be a resident of such a fun place to live I want to be invited to our next boat parade.

To the Glazer a family, thank you for taking a chance on me and supporting me I know I was demanding at times, but you provided everything we needed to win, in your ownership with everything a player could ask for.

To Jason Licht, thank you for your daily support and friendship – I will never forget it. I have never been through free agency and I had some trepidation about how we could achieve success. Your leader ship gave me confidence, and I will always be grateful.

To my head coach Bruce Arians, thank you for putting up with me! Your firm leader ship and guidance were ideal. There is no way we could’ve had success without your experience, intuition, and wisdom. I am very grateful to all the Bucs coaches, my sincere thanks for all the hard work, dedication, and discipline that goes into creating a winning team. I have learned so much from all of you and will value the relationships we have.

To every single Bucs staffer and employee, thank you. Each of you is critically important, and I was greeted with a smile every day. That means so much to me. Your work is made up of long hours and hard tasks, but please know I see each and everyone of you. Thank you so much. To Alex Guerrero, thank you I could never have made every Sunday without you; it’s that simple. Your dedication to your craft and our friendship and brotherhood are immeasurable we have an unbreakable bond, and I love you. To Don Yee and Steve Dubin, thank you. You’ve been with me every step of the way since I left the University of Michigan and before I entered the league. What a journey it’s been, and I couldn’t do it without you.”