COLUMN: Tom Brady’s retirement was overdue
Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady, a cast member and producer of “80 for Brady,” poses at the premiere of the film Jan. 31, at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. Brady announced his retirement from the NFL last week via an Instagram post. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Tom Brady announced his retirement last week in a heartfelt Instagram video. This announcement was made a couple days after the Cowboys defeated the Buccaneers in the wildcard round.
The Buccaneer’s season was mediocre. It was evident all season long they were not going to go far in the playoffs and it was doubtful that they would even make it. The Buccaneers only made the playoffs because of how bad the NFC South division was.
This year was Tom Brady’s worst season as a full-time starter with a record of 8-9. He struggled to get the offense going, but it wasn’t his fault as the offensive line was not reliable at all this season.
Brady also tied his fifth worst total for touchdowns in his career with only 25. He did make history this season with the NFL record for most completions, 490, and 733 attempts in a regular season.
Not only was he struggling on the field, he was struggling off the field with personal problems such as his divorce with supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen. I think his personal problems did affect his play because in some games he didn’t look like he was there mentally.
Last year he retired and then reversed his decision six weeks later. So, when he announced via Instagram he was retiring, I didn’t take it seriously. I think he should’ve retired after he won the 2020 Super Bowl in his first season with the Buccaneers because it would’ve been better to go out on top.
I thought maybe he would want to return for one more season but not in a Buccaneer’s uniform. There were some teams willing to take him even if it meant giving up assets just for one year of play from him. Some teams that were interested in him were the Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans.
I think if he were to return, the 49ers would’ve been the best fit for him to win a championship.
Tom Brady will be eligible for the class of 2028 hall of fame inductions.
- Seven Super Bowl championships
- Three MVPs
- 14 Pro Bowl selections
- Five Super Bowl MVPs
- Three First-team All-Pro-Bowls
Brady will continue to make his presence known in football as an analyst for Fox Sports. He signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox. Brady will make his debut on Fox in the fall of 2024.
