Tom Brady announced his retirement earlier this offseason, but after retiring and then unretiring last offseason, many wondered whether the maniacal quarterback is truly done with the sport.
This latest retirement announcement felt a bit different from the first though. Brady released a video on Instagram in which he said he was retiring for good, and was tearing up near the end of the clip.
When asked at a retirement party thrown by Autograph on Friday night in Tampa, Brady gave a definitive answer about his future.
“There is nothing I love more than football,” Brady said, via Rick Stroud. “But I have young children and they watched enough of their dad’s games and it’s time for me to watch their games.”
It sounds like after all the years of sacrifice that Brady has spoken about frequently in regard to his family, it is time for him to make some sacrifices of his own. Would Brady still enjoy playing football and could he do so at a high level? Of course.
But now it’s time for Brady to move on to a different stage of his life, and be more present with his family, which is ultimately a decision that he appears to be comfortable with.
