Fans Notice One Major Detail Missing From Tom Brady's Retirement Announcement
Tom Brady had one heck of a career in the NFL, and many are sad to see him go. Following rumors that he would retire after the 2021-2022 season — as well as additional rumors that he wanted to play until he was 50, per Sports Boston — Brady confirmed the news on February 1. In a lengthy post shared on his Instagram account, the University of Michigan alum shared that he would be moving on from the NFL.
Brady shared a photo of himself sporting a Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey and followed the image with a few slides of text. "This is difficult for me to write but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore," he wrote. "I have loved my NFL career and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention." The 44-year-old added that he had done a lot of reflecting over the past few weeks before arriving at his decision. "I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it's best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes," he wrote.
Brady also thanked the fans, the Tampa Bay Bucs organization, and his coaches. He concluded the post with a tribute to his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, and his three kids. But there was one group in particular who Brady forgot to thank — and a lot of people are fuming.
Tom Brady fails to mention the Patriots
As fans know, Tom Brady spent most of his career on the East Coast with the New England Patriots. According to Insider, Brady was drafted by the team in 2000 following his collegiate career at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He spent 20 seasons with the organization and won an impressive six Super Bowls during his stint. So, there was quite a lot of surprise when the football star failed to mention the Patriots, their fans, or anyone else in the organization in his retirement statement.
Many took to social media to express their displeasure with the quarterback. "Tom Brady's 2 year career at Tampa wouldn't have happened without his 20 year career at New England.. it's a fact. Shocked/disappointed that he didn't at least mention it when reflecting on his career today ... this really stings," one fan tweeted. "It's quite odd that @TomBrady wouldn't thank New England or its fans during his long retirement statement," another fan commented. A few others sided with Brady, stating that he doesn't owe anything to anyone. "Tom Brady brought years of dedication,6 Super Bowls, and enough thrills to last New England fans a lifetime. Speaking from a 60 yr old who lived through the dark years ... Tom Brady doesn't owe me jack sh**," a Pats fan wrote.
However, a few hours after the initial announcement, Brady did speak out about the Patriots, quoting a tribute from Pats owner Robert Kraft with the message, "Thank You Patriots Nation... I'm beyond grateful. Love you all."