After 22 seasons in the NFL, seven time super bowl winner and three time league MVP Tom Brady has retired. Brady began his career with the New England Patriots in 2000 and played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2019-2022. MFS students shared their feelings, favorite Brady moments, and how they think this decision will impact the future of the NFL. 

Avid New England fan Jaylen Patel ’23 said the announcement would’ve been “more upsetting if [Brady] was still on the Patriots, but since he transferred ships to the Buccaneers, it [didn’t] affect [him] as much.” 

In his retirement announcement, Brady didn’t acknowledge his time in New England. Patel “thought it was disrespectful how he didn’t [mention the team] in his retirement post,” especially because he spent 20 seasons with them. 

Patel praised Brady’s ability to “make comebacks, rally the team around at halftime, and [bring] them back to win his fifth ring,” which was shown in his 28-3 super bowl comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in 2017. 

Dhru Ponnamaneni ’24 agreed, saying Brady’s “[ability] to lead his team on game winning drives” was one of his favorite things to watch. 

“What has it been like 22 years?” Nick Owens ’23 said. “Every year of my life, Tom Brady has been playing football.” Owens said that Brady’s retirement gives “other teams more of a chance.” He even went as far as to say that the “Eagles are winning the super bowl next year because Tom Brady [won’t be] in it.” The Philadelphia Eagles beat Tom Brady and the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2018. 

Vanya Weinstock ’23 said he “wanted [Brady] to play until he’s 50, but he’s the GOAT, and he will be the GOAT for a long time.” 

Ponnamaneni said Brady’s accomplishments were “just that great” that he “doesn’t know if anyone can fill his shoes.” 

Patel says that the NFL will “be interesting” without Brady: “There’s all these new, young quarterbacks and [it] will become more of an [offense]-heavy league.”

Ponnamaneni’s biggest takeaway from Brady’s career was to “never give up and always achieve greater things.” 

Tom Brady’s time in the NFL ended with the culmination of the Buccaneers’ 2021-2022 season, however, his legacy will continue far past his final game. After 22 years on the field, Brady earned the title as one of the greatest quarterbacks the league has seen yet.