Brady’s Unexpected Last Time on the Field 

February 13, 2022 Tori Waschek Sports 1

Photo Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

By TORI WASCHEK

The rumors had been swirling about Tom Brady’s retirement

On Jan. 23, 2022, the Tampa Bay Bucaneers and Los Angeles Rams took the field to play in the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs. The game seemed to be slipping away from the Bucs, but as usual, Tom Brady, the Bucs quarterback, refused to go down without a fight.

Brady rallied his team back from a 27-3 deficit to tie the game in the final minute. Yet, as time expired on the clock, the Rams made a 30-yard field goal, defeating Brady and the Bucs.

After the loss to the Rams, Brady was unsure of his future, but still did not announce his retirement. Postgame he told ESPN, “I’m not thinking about anything past five minutes from now. I haven’t put a lot of thought into [retirement], so you know, we will just take it day by day and kind of see where we are at.”

Brady also told reporters in the same postgame interview that he wasn’t thinking of the divisional playoff game as his last. “I was thinking about winning. That’s kind of my mentality, always to go out there and try to win. Give my teammates the best chance to win.”

The topic of retirement was nothing new for Brady. It was inevitable at some point being 44 and spending 22 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), at some point, he would have to stop playing. Oftentimes Brady’s responses all correlated that he would know when the time was right.

The Retirement Announcement is Official 

On Feb. 1, that time had arrived. Brady officially announced his retirement. He gave thanks to former teammates, coaches, friends, and family members. Brady also reflected on his career and all the takeaways he has from it besides just the game of football.

This game the Bucs played against the Rams now holds much more significance than it did initially. It will now be remembered as the last time that Tom Brady, arguably the greatest quarterback ever, stepped onto the field to play in the NFL.

It was thought maybe he would try and go out on one last Super Bowl run, or maybe announce his retirement before heading into his last season. However, Brady did not plan his exit. This news came as a shock to most football fans.

The Football World’s Reaction 

Even with the shock, there was an outpouring of support for Brady and his decision to retire. His teammates, coaches, fans, and those who worked with Brady all congratulated him. Even those who look at Brady as an enemy and threat to their favorite football team were respectful of his retirement. It is no doubt the football world will miss seeing him play on Sundays.

Favorite Fan Memories of Brady

Football fans also have their own personal favorite moments about Brady, whether it was about him or about beating him.

Bryan Clemente, a New England Patriots fan, expressed his gratitude for being able to have Brady as their quarterback for so long. “If I had to just give one memory it would be the Super Bowl game that the Patriots were down 28-3 against the Falcons and came back to win,” Clemente said. “It was the greatest quarterback performance in history, and I was lucky to watch it.”

This memory severed as another fan favorite for Valentino Rolle, a Philadelphia Eagles fan, but for a different reason.

 

Ken Barber, a New York Giants fan, jokingly shared that his favorite memory about Brady was his NFL Combine Draft photo in 2000, something that Brady has been mocked with all his career. Barber then said, “On a serious note, it was probably when the Giants defeated the Patriots in the 2012 Super Bowl. A Super Bowl win for your favorite team is always a special moment, but it makes it even more special when it is against the greatest quarterback of all time.”

Josh Moskowitz, a Dallas Cowboys fan, said, “My favorite memory is when Brady finally decided to retire.”

The Legacy Brady Leaves Behind

Yet, no matter the opinions, Brady has his legacy secured in the history books. Brady closes his chapter as a seven-time Super Bowl champion, five-time Super Bowl MVP, three-time league Most Valuable Player, two-time offensive player of the year, six-time All Pro, and a 15-time Pro Bowler.

Without question, Brady will also be inducted into the Football Hall of Fame when the time comes in 2027.

1 Comment

  1. Tori, this story is really active. I liked all the different tweets, photos, and videos that you used. You seemed to capture everything that went on with Brady over the course of his final weeks playing in the NFL. Brady isn’t the type of person to announce to everyone that he is doing something before it happens. The interviews that you gathered are good because they give different perspectives from different fan bases.

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