Google News Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tom Brady retires after 22 seasons in the NFL
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Sources close to Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady believed the 44-year-old was ready to retire, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported on Friday.
On Saturday, Brady announced his retirement. The Buccaneers suffered a 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round last Sunday.
After the game, Brady didn't commit to returning for 2022. "I think as I've gotten older, I think the best part is, is football is extremely important in my life, and it means a lot to me, and I care a lot about what we're trying to accomplish as a team and I care a lot about my teammates," Brady said on his "Let's Go!" podcast with Jim Gray, per ESPN.
"The biggest difference now that I'm older is I have kids now, too, you know, and I care about them a lot as well. They've been my biggest supporters. My wife is my biggest supporter. It pains her to see me get hit out there. And she deserves what she needs from me as a husband, and my kids deserve what they need from me as a dad.
"I'm gonna spend some time with them and give them what they need, 'cause they've really been giving me what I need the last six months to do what I love to do. I said this a few years ago, it's what relationships are all about.
It's not always what I want. It's what we want as a family. And I'm gonna spend a lot of time with them and figure out in the future what's next."
Brady 'proud and satisified'
Brady failed to win this year's Super Bowl but still he is a seven-time Super Bowl and by many considered as the greatest football player of all time.
Brady indicated there would be no regrets even if he walked away from the game after this season. "I would say I'm proud and satisfied of everything we accomplished this year, so I know when I give it my all, that's something to be proud of," Brady said.
"And I've literally given everything I had this year, last year, the year before that, the year before that. Like, I don't leave anything half-ass, you know? I think I leave it with everything that I have. My physical being, I work really hard on that.
I feel like I give everything I can to my teammates. Although, it is divided attention as you get older, 'cause there's different priorities and responsibilities in life. And, you know, I have things happening outside of football that require some time and energy."