,An established professional sports figure, quarterback Tom Brady, has officially announced his retirement from the National Football League. On Feb. 1, Brady released a statement, addressing speculations on his retirement earlier that week. From a seven-time Super Bowl champion to all-time leader in passing yards, Brady has left sports fans in awe with his many accomplishments. Leaving behind a prestigious twenty-two year career in the NFL, Brady has inspired countless individuals through his road to greatness and his triumphant work-ethic.

While at the University of Michigan, Brady was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Heading into his rookie season, Brady assumed his role as a backup quarterback, under the reign of head coach Bill Belichick. While only making one appearance that season, Brady became familiar with the backup position similar to what he had done back at Ann Arbor.

Brady’s career shifted dramatically in a Week 2 matchup of the 2001 season versus their division rivals, the New York Jets. An unfortunate tackle by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis injured the Patriots All-Pro quarterback, Drew Bledsoe. Tom Brady was given the opportunity to start as quarterback for the remainder of the season. Later that year, the Patriots, with Brady at the helm, won Super Bowl XXXVI: the first in franchise history. Tom Brady had won his first title in just two years with the league, commencing his leap to stardom.

“From a young age, Tom Brady showed his leadership and desire to win with the New England Patriots. Honestly, it was impressive to see him dominate the sport and remain consistent for such a long period of time,” freshman Frank Gozalo said.

In the years that followed, Tom Brady carried the Patriots to back-to-back Lombardi trophies against the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII and in Super Bowl XXXIX against the Philadelphia Eagles. Still, he would not capture another title for another decade. Nevertheless, Brady earned three more championships. The most notable being in 2014, when Brady led the largest comeback by a team in Super Bowl History.Tom Brady is the greatest football player of all time. He has brought so much to the sport of football and will inspire generations to come,

As Brady aged, he earned a couple more championships. Entering the 2018 NFL season, Brady had accumulated six Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots, a record in league history. However, there were not always glorious moments for this super-star quarterback. Following the 2014 season, Brady was suspended multiple games for the Deflategate scandal, a NFL controversy involving the deflation of footballs during the American Football Conference Championship against the Indianapolis Colts.

Despite his success in New England, Brady elected to take his talents and finish his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Reuniting with a former Patriot and tight-end, Rob Gronkowski, Brady formed key relationships with his teammates and coaches. With an 11-5 record, entering the playoffs, Brady won his final Super Bowl at Raymond James Stadium.

Overall, Brady put up amazing numbers throughout his career. In fact, he is the all-time leader in passing yards, with a record 84,520. Similarly, after turning 37, Brady went 17-4 in the playoffs and completed 65% of his passes for the rest of his career.

Brady has redefined the meaning of success in professional sports. Throughout his playing career, he was known for his hard-work, strict diet and motivation towards his teammates. In turn, he left both the New England Patriot and Tampa Buccaneers to the mountaintop and has inspired several athletes across the globe.