New England wasn't mentioned at all in his statement, but Brady added a post to his Instagram story about his former team.
Tom Brady announced his retirement on Tuesday morning, marking the end of an incredible career after 22 NFL seasons. Soon after he published his lengthy announcement to Instagram, fans and members of the media quickly noticed that the Patriots, with whom he spent his first 20 seasons and won six Super Bowls, didn't receive a single mention.
The Buccaneers, for whom Brady played from 2020–21 and won last year's Super Bowl, received about four full pages of thanks, along with shoutouts for trainer Alex Guerrero and agents Don Yee and Steve Dubin.
The snub didn't stop Pats owner Robert Kraft from congratulating Brady on his career. Shortly thereafter, Brady made sure to add a thank you to his former franchise on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.
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It should be noted that Brady wrote at length about his Patriots career after leaving the franchise for the Buccaneers in March 2020.
“To all my teammates, coaches, executives and staff, Coach Belichick, RKK and the Kraft family and the entire organization,” Brady wrote. “I want to say thank you for the past twenty years of my life and the daily commitment to winning and creating a winning club built on great values.
“Although my football journey will take place elsewhere, I appreciated everything that we have achieved and am grateful for our incredible TEAM accomplishments.”
After winning six Super Bowls in 20 years in New England, Brady led Tampa to its first title in nearly two decades at the end of the 2020–21 season.
Brady will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2027.
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