Tom Brady Retires After 23 Seasons

After 23 crazy seasons, Tom Brady has finally decided to retire for good. The football legend has won seven Super Bowls, the most in NFL history. He also set many records, such as games started, with 333 games; 251 wins by starting quarterback; 89,214 passing yards; and 649 passing touchdowns. He also leads the league with 7,753 completions; touchdowns to different receivers, with 98; 19 division titles; 15 Pro Bowl appearances; and 20 seasons with one team.  He is the oldest NFL player to win MVP, at 40 years old; oldest player to be named First-Team-All-Pro; and the only player to beat all 32 NFL teams. In the playoffs, he has the most games started, 48; and most wins by a starting quarterback, 35; most consecutive playoff wins, with 10, from 2001-2005; 13,400 passing yards; 1,200 completions; 28 multi-touchdown passing games; and the most game-winning drives, with 14. 

He is considered the greatest of all time because of all his achievements. However, he receives his fair share of criticism as well. Most people we asked on the Leo did not like him, mainly because he came back too many times or is too old. Another reason is that he was accused of illegally deflating footballs to give his team an unfair advantage in the 2014 AFC title game against the Indianapolis Colts.

On the other hand, some people gave more positive reviews. Connor, an 8th grader said, “he is a very accomplished sportsperson and you have to respect him.” There is no denying Brady is incredible. It will be a long time before anyone beats his records, but in my opinion, it will happen eventually. LeBron James just showed us no record is forever when he broke an NBA scoring record that had held for 38 years.  

Now that Brady has retired, what will he do next? He says he will rest a year and join the FOX broadcast network in 2024. He can rest in his house or make new businesses, as Michael Jordan did with restaurants, product endorsements and his ownership of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. With Brady’s immense wealth, he has many, many options. However, no matter what he ends up doing, he will always be a legend.