It may be the end of an era for the sports world.
On Saturday, Jan. 29, ESPN cited sources saying that Tampa Bay Buccaneers star NFL quarterback Tom Brady, 44 and widely considered the greatest football player of all time, is set to retire after 22 seasons. He has not confirmed the news himself.
“I understand the advance speculation about Tom’s future,” Brady’s agent, Don Yee, later told the outlet in a statement. “Without getting into the accuracy or inaccuracy of what’s being reported, Tom will be the only person to express his plans with complete accuracy. He knows the realities of the football business and planning calendar as well as anybody, so that should be soon.”
Following ESPN’s report, the NFL tweeted on Saturday, Jan. 29,” citing its correspondent Ian Rapoport, “7x Super Bowl champion Tom Brady retiring after 22 NFL seasons.”
Also following ESPN’s report, a tweet was posted by Brady’s health and wellness company, TB12 Sports. It read, “7 Super Bowl Rings. 5 Super Bowl MVPs. 3 League MVP Awards. 22 Incredible Seasons. Thank you for it all, @TomBrady.” The post was later deleted.