UPDATE [5:43 pm EST, 1/29/22]: According to the Associated Press, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ QB Tom Brady has not officially announced his retirement from the NFL.

BREAKING: AP sources: Tom Brady tells Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM he hasn't decided on retirement, despite ESPN report. https://t.co/EYjt7ePYR2

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 29, 2022

As this is breaking news, RedState will provide updates as details become available.
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Over the last few days, rumors have been swirling that Tom Brady would retire from the NFL, ending a two-season stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that included a final Super Bowl win to add to his total. As RedState reported earlier on Saturday, calling it quits appeared imminent.

That has now been made official. Tom Brady is retiring, ending his storied football career, the lion’s share of which he spent with the New England Patriots. During his time with the Patriots, he won six Super Bowls, by far the most of any NFL quarterback in history.

NEW…Tom Brady Retires From NFL – OutKick https://t.co/BXTk2SKiyv

— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) January 29, 2022

Brady retires as the NFL’s record holder for passing yardage and touchdowns. His all-time yards record sits at 84,520 and his all-time TD record is at 624.

Brady was coy about retiring or returning after the Bucs lost to the Los Angeles Rams in a divisional playoff game last Sunday. He said he’d take time to meet with his family and make a decision on his future.

Ultimately, it was his family that led Brady to leave the game at age 44. The father and husband wanted to spend more time with those he loves, a source said.

Certainly, this is going to break a lot of hearts in Tampa Bay. Buccaneers fans were enjoying the trip out of the NFL’s basement for the last couple of years, especially after Drew Brees retired from the Saints after the 2020 season. But with a slew of big free agency decisions coming up, and now losing a HOF quarterback, things are going to be very different in Tampa Bay next season.

As to Brady himself, I think most sports fans had a love-hate relationship with him unless you happened to cheer for one of his two teams. In the end, though, I think his move to the Buccaneers really shined a new light on him as a person and teammate. Yes, he remained the same whiney, fierce competitor on the field he always was, but he also showed another side of himself that actually made him rather likable.

At some point, you just have to respect the guy’s game and career, and leave it at that. Besides, once a player gets to seven Super Bowl wins, no one is catching him anyway. So what’s the point of hating him?

Will we see Brady in the booth one day, as we have with Tony Romo and Drew Brees? I’m not sure that’s his style, and with his financial situation, every option is open to him. From all the writers here at RedState, we wish him good luck in his future endeavors.