After several days of speculation, Tom Brady has officially retired from the National Football League (NFL). League reporter Adam Schefter had first leaked the news on Jan. 29, supposedly hearing from sources close to Brady. Immediately after Schefter’s report, other media outlets confirmed the news and many of Brady’s former teammates congratulated him on social media. Even after Brady’s camp rejected the claim, Schefter stood by his report and his sources. Two days later, on Feb. 1, Brady posted on instagram announcing that he has played his last snap of football in the NFL.

Although Brady’s career came to a sudden and unexpected end, his accomplishments will undoubtedly live on through the football world. Throughout his 22-year NFL career, Brady captured seven Super Bowl victories, more than any other player, coach or entire franchise, while also reaching the Super Bowl an unprecedented ten times. Brady’s performance statistics are nothing short of amazing, either. Brady leads all quarterbacks in almost all major statistical categories, including the most passing yards and passing touchdowns of any quarterback. All of Brady’s record statistics underline his longevity in the league. He performed at an extremely high level, and was always able to will his team to victory in the face of intense pressure. Throughout his career, Brady led his teams on 51 fourth-quarter comebacks, as well as 67 game-winning drives, which rank first in both categories. 

Even on the biggest of stages, Brady was never phased by pressure. In Brady’s first year as a starter in 2001, the Patriots matched up against the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl. With the game tied at 13 apiece with a minute and change remaining, Brady calmly led his team down the field to set up the game-winning field goal that ultimately captured the first Super Bowl in Patriots’ history. A decade and a half later, looking for their fifth Super Bowl title, Brady and the Patriots played the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Although the Patriots were favored heading into the game by a decent margin, it was the Falcons who made the early-game statement. The Falcons jumped out to a 28-3 lead halfway through the third quarter, making a Patriots’ comeback highly improbable. In the face of adversity, Brady executed on every play and led his team back from a 25 point deficit to a 34-28 overtime victory, which became the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

While the numbers display Brady’s success in the NFL, his work ethic behind closed doors was unmatched and transformed him into the greatest player in all of football. Before his professional career, Brady was a part-time quarterback at the University of Michigan. While his college performances were solid, his physique held him back from getting scouts to consider him as a high draft choice. Brady was chosen as pick 199 in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft, and it was not until former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe was sidelined with an injury when Brady got his opportunity. Once he took over the job, he never gave it up, and proceeded to win seven championships en route to becoming the greatest football player of all time.