BOSTON — Robert Kraft’s response to Tom Brady’s second retirement announcement was short, and to the point.
The Patriots owner said there was no one like him, and that’s not about to change.
“I don’t believe in the 100-year-old history of the NFL, there’s been a quarterback of Tom’s ilk,” the Patriots owner told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I would have trouble ever believing there would be another one.”
Brady spent his first 20 NFL seasons with New England before playing his final three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 45-year-old won seven Super Bowls, six with the Patriots.
Following three seasons spent in Tampa Bay, adding one more ring to his collection, Brady has decided to retire, he now says, “for good.”
It’s likely the Patriots will honor Brady in some fashion. He’ll be a lock for the Patriots and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
He’ll be eligible for his bust in Canton in 2028. The Patriots Hall of Fame only has a four-year waiting period, so that will come sooner.
In 2021, Kraft did say he hoped the legendary quarterback would “retire a Patriot.”