Former Buccaneers QB Tom Brady opens up about NFL retirement

Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Tom Brady spoke about his emotions during his decision to retire from the NFL.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady against the Arizona Cardinals. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It's always hard to walk away from the game — especially if you're one of the game's all-time greats.

Tom Brady did just that in 2022 after an illustrious career, playing 23 seasons in the NFL and 20 with the New England Patriots, where he won six Super Bowl rings. Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans will, of course, remember him for his short three-year stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won a Super Bowl ring in 2020 and then helped the Bucs to their franchise-best 13-4 record in 2021.

2022 was a tougher year for the Bucs, though, going 8-9 and then being definitively bounced by the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round, and that was it for Brady. He called it quits, retiring from football and leaving the Buccaneers to find his successor, who would end up being current Bucs gunslinger Baker Mayfield.

Brady recently appeared on WWE star and social media personality Logan Paul's podcast, Impaulsive, and he was asked about his retirement process after playing for the Buccaneers at the end of his career. He opened up about his mental state at the time, mentioning the struggle of having to walk away from your profession when others don't have to in other life pursuits.

"I remember when I announced my retirement on social media a couple of years ago... I made a video in the morning and I just literally grabbed my phone. And there was an emotion to it — I was telling myself, 'I'm not doing it again,'" Brady said. "Painters don't give up painting, but football players have to give up football."

Thankfully, Brady is still very involved in the game in everything short of playing. He not only color commentates for FOX, but he also serves as a part-time owner with the Las Vegas Raiders and reportedly has quite a say in the team's day-to-day operations.

"[Football is] not far away," Brady said. "So I still get to do a lot of fun stuff."

Brady returned to Tampa Bay twice during his broadcasting stint last year when the team played the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, and he's likely to make his way back again in the 2025 season — especially if the Bucs can contend for a Super Bowl title like they want to.

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