The ageless wonder that is Tom Brady has officially hung up his cleats. 

News broke out that he planned to retire Saturday afternoon, but Brady did not announce it until this Tuesday, Feb. 1. The news comes within a year of two other all-time great quarterbacks in Drew Brees and Ben Rothilesberger retiring.

The infamous story of Tom Brady starts at the 2000 NFL Combine where he turned into a meme and was jokingly called “White Lightning” or the “White Vick” after MIchael Vick set the league on fire. He was then drafted with the 199th pick by the New England Patriots, and the rest, as they say, is history.

A year after being drafted, Brady would be called upon after Patriots’ starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured in the fourth quarter of a week two game. Tom Brady would go on to lose that game, but he would eventually lead the Patriots to an 11-3 record in the remaining 15 games. He also led the Patriots to a Super Bowl victory while winning the game’s MVP award. Despite not having the greatest statistical season, he was selected to his first-ever Pro Bowl.

Brady and the Patriots would take a one-year playoff hiatus before returning to the playoffs and making a big splash in the years to come with the ever so elusive championship repeat. The Patriots defeated the Panthers 32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII and the Eagles 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX.

However, the Patriots would have to wait another three years for the next chance at a Super Bowl, but would fall short to Eli Manning and the Giants, in a game that included the infamous “Helmet Catch.”

The following year Brady would face the biggest setback of his career. In 2008, in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady took a shot to the knee from a defender which resulted in the Patriots star quarterback tearing his ACL and not playing another down that season. Despite an 11-5 record the team would miss the playoffs for only the second time in Brady’s career.

Brady came back strong the following year, throwing for nearly 4400 yards and 28 touchdowns. This earned him Comeback Player of the Year honors. Brady also led his team back to the playoffs, but it was short lived with a Wild Card round loss to the Baltimore Ravens. 

Brady would win his second MVP the following year, but lose their first playoff game to the division rival New York Jets. This was a short stop on the way to another Super Bowl appearance the following year, which they would lose to the other New York City team in the GIants once again.

In 2016, Brady would face another setback when he was suspended for his role in what would be known as deflategate. Deflategate occurred in the 2014 AFC Championship game when Tom Brady ordered the deflation of NFL game balls in an eventual win over the Colts enroute to a Super Bowl victory over the Seattle Seahawks. The NFL handed Brady a four game suspension to start the season.

A Brady suspension, however, would not stop him and the Patriots from achieving any of their goals. The Patriots would go on to comeback from the largest Super Bowl deficit of all time against the Atlanta Falcons in 2016. The Falcons found themselves up 28-3 half way through the third quarter, and everyone thought the game was over. However, Tom Brady thought otherwise.

 Brady would start an improbable comeback with 2 minutes remaining in the third quarter with a five-yard touchdown pass to running back James White. This would start a string of 25 unanswered points for the Patriots that would lead to overtime. 

In overtime, Brady orchestrated a drive that ended in a James White touchdown run to end the game.

The Patriots would go on to make two more Super Bowls and win one with Brady. However, tensions would boil over the following season after a first round exit in the playoffs. The tension between Brady and the Patriots organization led to the star quarterback leaving to revitalize his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Brady certainly revitalized his career in Tampa Bay, winning a Super Bowl victory in his first season with the team. This year, he took the team once again to the playoffs, but lost a close divisional round game to the Los Angeles Rams. Brady ended the season, at the young age of 44, leading the league in passing yardage and touchdowns.

Brady, also known as the G.O.A.T., ends his storied career with 15 Pro Bowl selections, three All-Pro selections, three MVPs, two Offensive Player of the Year awards, two all-decade team selections, one Comeback Player of the Year award, five Super Bowl MVPs, and the most all-time Super Bowl wins with seven, more than any team.

Brady became the most prolific athlete the world may ever see in his 22 seasons, and we will be hard pressed to find anyone to reach his level again. 

TB12 out.