Tom Brady Says He's Retiring 'for Good' After 23 Seasons in the NFL in Emotional Video

Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion, announced Wednesday morning that he's ending his NFL career

Tom Brady, the legendary quarterback who cemented his place among football's all-time greats, announced his second retirement from the NFL on Wednesday morning.

In a video, Brady, 45, said that he was retiring "for good" this time, in reference to his decision to retire and then unretire over the course of 40 days last year.

"I'm retiring. For good. I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning I figured I'd just press record, and let you guys know first," an emotional Brady said.

"It won't be long-winded, you only get one super-emotional retirement essay, and I used mine up last year, so. I...really thank you guys...so much," he continues, while choking up, "to every single one of you, for supporting me, my family, my friends, teammates, my competitors. I could go on forever. There's too many. Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream."

"I wouldn't change a thing. Love you all."

Brady's decision marks the end of one of the most successful and storied careers in the league's history. He leaves the NFL with multiple records and accolades, including seven Super Bowl titles, five Super Bowl MVP awards, and 14 Pro Bowl selections.

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Speculation mounted over what Brady's next destination would be following the Buccaneer's loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 15, which eliminated them from the playoffs.

Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walks off the field after defeating the Atlanta Falcons 21-15 at Raymond James Stadium on October 09, 2022 in Tampa, Florida.
Julio Aguilar/Getty

Before his announcement, teams mentioned as potential destinations for Brady included the Las Vegas Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Tennesee Titans.

Despite his age, Brady was one of the league's most efficient quarterbacks throughout the 2022 season. He threw for 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns, leading the Buccaneers to the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

Yet, the 2022 season was one of the worst for a Brady-led team over his 22 seasons in the NFL, with Tampa Bay earning an underwhelming 9-8 record.

tom brady, Galynn Brady
Tom Brady and his parents. Mark Humphrey/AP/Shutterstock

The New England Patriots selected Brady in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. While he initially played back-up to starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe, Brady took over the job when Bledsoe went down with an injury in the second game of the 2002 season.

He then led the Patriots to a Super Bowl berth against the then-St. Louis Rams, resulting in the first of his championship victories with the franchise. He'd go on to win five more Super Bowls with the team before his surprise announcement in 2020 that he'd join the Buccaneers.

Brady won his seventh Super Bowl ring with the Florida team in 2020 and was named Super Bowl MVP for the fifth time.

With the victory, he became the oldest player to be named Super Bowl MVP and win a Super Bowl as the starting quarterback, at age 43.

RELATED VIDEO: Tom Brady Admits Gisele Bündchen Marriage Struggles Spilled into Football in First Interview Since Divorce

Brady famously announced his first retirement at the start of 2022, before reversing the decision about two months later.

Months after his return, speculation of a rift between him and his longtime wife, Gisele Bündchen, materialized. In October, the two finalized their divorce after 13 years of marriage.

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