Tom Brady‘s next step is a question that has already been answered. However, there is still hope that one of the most talented quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen could make his way back to the pylon for a redemption tour. Third time’s the charm, right?
Tom Brady’s Next Steps After Officially Retiring
Who is Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr, or Tom for short is a household name that people either love or hate. Of course, he wasn’t always noted in that regard. From his early days in high school at Junipero Serra in San Mateo, California, Brady was a three-sport athlete with dreams of playing college football. Unfortunately for Brady and his family, he was not high on the recruiting portal. His father had to send out his game film to around 54 schools, only piquing real interest from Cal-Berkeley at the time.
With playing only two years of varsity football after spending most of his childhood dedicated to baseball, Brady developed a winning mentality early. His first start at quarterback would come during his sophomore year as a junior varsity player where he polished his skills that would earn him a spot on varsity for the remainder of high school.
In his senior year, he would go on to stamp his name in the record books with top-five career, single-season passing yards, and single-season touchdown records. With 2,121 yards and 20 touchdowns, it was clear that he could play at the next level but his options were still limited. Between Cal-Berkeley, UCLA, USC, Michigan, and Illinois, Brady would end up electing to take his talent east to the midwest where he would start his junior and senior season for the Wolverines, passing for 4,644 yards and 30 touchdowns with a 61 percent completion rating.
The Face of the NFL
Drafted as the 199th pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft to the New England Patriots, it was clear that Brady had his work cut out for him at the next level. With a mediocre 5.17 40-yard dash, he would need to rely on his IQ in the pocket to stand out from his peers. Under the leadership of Bill Belichick, the Patriots would become a dynasty with Brady spearheading the charge from 2001 to 2019, making nine Super Bowl appearances and walking away with six rings.
Aside from that, the Patriots would go on to 17 divisional round games — 11 consecutive from 2009 to 2019 — and 13 AFC championship games; eight consecutive from 2011 to 2018. These would stand as NFL records for a player and franchise.
Closing the Gap
During the later part of his career, Brady would end up taking his talents to Florida to play with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Many critics thought Brady’s success only came from the well-polished safety net the Patriots built around him during his tenure but the face of the league had other plans in mind.
At the beginning of the 2020 season, Brady would be the starter for the Buccaneers after signing a two-year deal worth 50 million, bringing his long-time Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski out of early retirement. While it wasn’t an ideal season of play due to a pandemic that would alter all professional sports, Brady proved himself to critics and fans yet again by leading Tampa to their first Super Bowl appearance in almost two decades and taking the victory over the Kansas City Chiefs where he added a seventh ring to his trophy case.
After having knee surgery before the start of the 2021 season, Brady would continue to make his presence felt in the division. He then became the fourth quarterback in league history to defeat all 32 teams after a symbolic performance against his former ball club and head coach. Brady would end his 2021 season with 5,316 passing yards and 485 pass completions, setting the record for most passing yards in a single season in NFL history.
The end of an era
As the winningest quarterback in NFL history, the time came for Brady to hang his cleats up for good. Maybe.
After announcing his retirement in early February of 2021 and then reversing his decision six weeks later, many fans still believe there’s hope that the chosen one could return one last time to chase another ring instead of ending his career after a losing season. Maybe it is time to let bygones be bygones and celebrate the accomplishments he’s made.
A short and bittersweet announcement from a cell phone video on an undisclosed beach in Florida one year to the exact date from his last retirement speech, Tom Brady let the world know it was over for good this time.
While his football career may be finished for now, this is not the last time fans will get to see Brady involved with the sport. He has already signed a 10-year broadcasting deal with Fox hovering somewhere in the range of 375 million dollars.
It seems as though Brady has his next step figured out. Only time will tell if we get to see him pick up a football again, whether it be for leisure or more.
Main Image: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY
