Tom Brady ends football career: seven Super Bowl victories

Dhe wanted to have the last word himself: Football icon Tom Brady has ended his outstanding career in the National Football League (NFL) after 22 years.

After the first media reports about the impending retirement from the exhausting and hard-wearing business of professional football had made the rounds over the weekend, but Brady initially said that a final decision had not yet been made, certainty followed this Tuesday: “I have my NFL career beloved, now I will focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.”

Brady is a father of three children

This means above all his family, the 44-year-old is married and has three children, two with his wife Gisele Bundchen and one from a previous relationship with the American actress Bridget Moynahan, as well as his work as an entrepreneur. Brady runs a business with fitness trainer Alex Guerrero specializing in exercise advice, nutrition advice and merchandise sales.

The exceptional quarterback wrote in a statement that he had always been convinced that American football was a sport that required daily physical, mental and emotional dedication. Anyone who is not prepared to give 100 percent for success, to subordinate everything to success, will not be successful. “I have always given my very best for the past 22 years (…), but I will no longer commit myself exclusively to competition.”

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 27-30 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the play-off quarterfinals on January 24 was the American sports star’s last appearance. The previous season, Brady had won the title again with his team, the second-ever he’d ever played for, right after moving from New England.

In the past few days, former companions and NFL greats had congratulated Brady on his extremely successful career according to the first media reports. After the official announcement, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also paid tribute to him: “Tom Brady will be remembered as one of the greatest players of all time in the NFL. He was an incredible competitor and leader.”

The playmaker won seven Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers — more than any other pro in NFL history to date — and was named the league’s most valuable player three times. He also holds numerous records to this day, including passing yards (84,520) and touchdowns (624), most regular-season wins (243) and most playoff games (35), and yards in a Super Bowl ( 505).

Brady, who was selected 199th in the distribution of young college players in 2000, has shaped the best football league in the world like no other over the past two decades. He set a standard, according to Goodell, “that players will be chasing for years to come.”