After 22 seasons, seven Super Bowl wins and countless records broken, Tom Brady—perhaps the greatest player in the history of the National Football League (NFL)–announced his retirement Tuesday morning.
The quarterback, who spent the first 20 years of his career with the New England Patriots, had been teasing his departure from playing for the past few seasons, but he finally confirmed the rumor in a long Instagram post on his personal account.
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While retirement at 44 is not unheard of for professional athletes, the announcement came as a shock to fans across the country, as Brady was still considered at the top of his game. This past season, Brady led the league in touchdowns (43) and passing yards (5,316), and came just short of leading his team back to the NFC Championship game. It’s a quiet retirement for a quarterback who had haunted the league in his final years; Brady had appeared in five of the past seven Super Bowls, winning four of them.
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The announcement came after the sports world exploded with the rumor on Saturday, when ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted that the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) would be leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his current team. As a result, famous figures around both the sports world and the pop culture realm had plenty of time to tweet their congratulations to the famous figure.
Regardless of sport, team or affiliation, everyone seemed to send their finest congratulations. Both former teammates and competitors took the time to acknowledge the quarterback, like wide receiver Julian Edelman who won three Super Bowls with Brady in New England, and running back Adrian Peterson who Brady often competed against for MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors.
The Patriots also honored their former star with a few graphics, as well as a statement from team owner Robert Kraft. While a few pundits were quick to point out Brady failed to mention New England in his retirement statement, plenty of fans were still happy to send their regards to their beloved quarterback.
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Team rivals also took the time to mention Brady, including one of the Patriots’ biggest rivals, the New York Jets. While admitting their begrudging respect for their rival, the Jets took the time to joke and express relief that Brady, who posted a 31-8 all-time record including playoffs against the Jets, would no longer face them.
Other longtime rivals also took the time to take a sigh of relief in humorous fashion, including the Indianapolis Colts, who often faced off against Brady in the postseason.
Other individuals had jokes for the day. Basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal commented that Brady should “get his butt up and do one more year” in his typical joking fashion, while cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who will play in his first Super Bowl on Feb. 13, mentioned Brady’s final touchdown came at his expense.
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Regardless of rooting interest, it’s hard to diminish the impact Brady had on both the NFL and the world of sports. His seven championships are more than any other football team alone, and few have shied away from comparing him to other all-time greats, like basketball superstars Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Only time will tell whether Brady will release his own line of sneakers or appear in Space Jam 3. Here’s looking forward to whatever lies ahead for the great quarterback. See more homages to the great athlete below.
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Photography by: Kevin C. Cox / Getty
