Tom Brady has reportedly not yet decided on his retirement plans, despite an ESPN article published Saturday stating that the star quarterback planned to retire.
Following the publication of ESPN’s report, Brady told the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that he hasn’t yet made up his mind about whether or not he will retire at the end of this season, two people familiar with the details told The Associated Press on Saturday.
The AP’s report mere hours after ESPN’s report claiming that Brady planned to announce his retirement, citing unnamed sources.
Over the years, Brady has cemented his legacy as the most successful quarterback in NFL history, winning more championship rings than any other player ever. After playing college football in Michigan, Brady was recruited to the New England Patriots in 2000, and led the team to his first championship win in 2002 against the St. Louis Rams.
At the time, Brady was one of youngest quarterbacks to ever win the Super Bowl at just 24 years old. That victory was only the beginning for him.
Brady went on to win five more Super Bowl titles with the Patriots before he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. That season, Brady won his seventh Super Bowl ring, securing his spot in the record books as having more NFL championships than any other franchise in the league’s history. Brady has broken more than a dozen Super Bowl records, including most passing yards in a single Super Bowl game and most touchdown passes (21) in the Super Bowl, according to ESPN.
The following season, Brady broke another record when he became the oldest starting quarterback to win a game in league history at 44 years old. Brady brought the Buccaneers to the playoffs in the 2021 season before losing to the Los Angeles Rams, where he also got his first unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for yelling at a referee.
Following that loss, Brady discussed the possibility of retirement, citing his wife, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, and their children as a reason to slow down.
“I said this a few years ago, it’s what relationships are all about,” Brady said on the Jim Gray podcast “Let’s Go,” the Tampa Bay Times reported. “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.”
“It pains her to see me get hit out there,” Brady said of his wife on the podcast. “And she deserves what she needs from me as a husband, and my kids deserve what they need from me as a dad.”
This story has been updated to reflect The AP’s reporting that Brady has yet to make a decision about his retirement plans.