On February 1, Tom Brady, the NFL Legend and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, officially announced his retirement from the NFL, saying in an Instagram post that he is “not going to make that competitive commitment anymore.” He shared a lengthy statement on his Instagram and Twitter accounts. Following the announcement of his retirement from the NFL, the Pro Football Hall of Fame tweeted that Tom Brady will be eligible for induction into the hall starting in 2027.
“This is difficult to write, but here goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore,” Brady wrote in part. “I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.”
Brady, 44, widely considered the greatest quarterback in NFL history, won seven Lombardi trophies, the most championships won by a single player, along with five Super Bowl MVPs.
The Rise and Growth of the Legend
He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, where he was a central contributor to the franchise’s dynasty from 2001 to 2019. In his final two seasons, he was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time.
After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was selected 199th overall by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, later earning him a reputation as the NFL’s biggest draft steal. During his second season, he became the starting quarterback, which saw the Patriots win their first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXVI. As the team’s primary starter for 18 seasons, Brady led the Patriots to 17 division titles, including 11 consecutive victories from 2009 to 2019, 13 AFC Championship Games including eight straight wins from 2011 to 2018, nine Super Bowl appearances, and six Super Bowl titles, all NFL records for a player and franchise. He joined the Buccaneers in 2020 and led them to win Super Bowl LV, extending his individual records to 10 Super Bowl appearances and seven victories.
The highest-earning NFL player
According to Forbes, Brady sits in the 64th spot amongst celebrities, having cashed in a salary of $45 million in 2020, which consisted of $33 million in salary and winnings from the Buccaneers and an additional $12 million in endorsement earnings. As for his entire net worth, Celebrity Net Worth estimates Brady’s net worth at approximately $250 million. This also includes the roughly $20.3 million per year that he’s believed to be earning from his lifestyle brand TB12.
His deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have earned him a minimum of $280 million in salary and $140 million from endorsements. So by the end of his career, Tom Brady’s earnings should top $420 million.
