Tom Brady’s achievements are unlikely to be surpassed
Brady won seven out of 10 Super Bowls
Whether Tom Brady has officially retired or not, there can be no argument he is the greatest quarterback in NFL history and up there with players in any position.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ace is 44, has won seven Super Bowls in an astonishing career spanning 22 seasons and even after such a long and storied journey with absolutely nothing else to prove, he is still wavering about hanging up his helmet.
It was widely reported on Saturday evening that he had decided to retire, but his company TB12 Sports then deleted a tweet confirming the news. Brady himself made statements about owing it to his family not to put his long-term health in danger anymore.
The news was muddied by Brady’s father, Tom Snr, speaking to the NFL Network, said his son had not yet "made a final decision".
Brady is a five-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. He won six titles with the New England Patriots before his final triumph with the Buccaneers last year.
His most recent game was a 30-27 defeat by the Los Angeles Rams in the play-offs, when his heroics narrowly failed to end with the Bucs successfully fighting back from 27-3 down.
Brady, a three-time NFL season MVP, has a year remaining on his contract and has previously talked about playing beyond his 45th birthday, which is a month before the start of next season.
Brady's decision to retire would be based on several factors, including family and health. The NFL paid tribute to Brady on Twitter with a series of #ThankYouTom messages.
In a statement to NFL.com, his agent Don Yee said: "I understand the advance speculation about Tom's future.
"Without getting into the accuracy or inaccuracy of what's being reported, Tom will be the only person to express his plans with complete accuracy. He knows the realities of the football business and planning calendar as well as anybody, so that should be soon."
The NFL Network reported that Brady does intend to retire but "the pushback appears to be based on timing, rather than his eventual decision".
Brady has played in 10 Super Bowls, including a miraculous comeback from 28-3 down against the Atlanta Falcons in 2017, and had a perfect 16-0 regular season with the Patriots in 2007. He won a Super Bowl in three different decades.
Asked about his future after the defeat by the Rams, Brady said: "I haven't put a lot of thought into it. We'll just take it day by day and see where we are at."
"Tom Brady should be the first player in history to be in the Hall of Fame while he's still playing," two-time Super Bowl champion Osi Umenyiora told BBC One after Brady won his seventh ring in February 2021.
"What this man has done is almost beyond belief, almost beyond words. I cannot describe the level of difficulty, what it took for this man to do what he's done.
"What this guy is doing in the quarterback position - the hardest position to play in sports - winning over and over again... my hat's off to this guy."
Meanwhile, the LA Rams will meet the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl in Los Angeles on 13 February.
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