Tom Brady’s short-lived retirement is coming to an end. On Sunday (March 13), the seven-time Super Bowl champion announced he is returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 23rd season in the NFL.
Brady announced the news on Twitter, writing, “These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now.”
“I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family,” his statement continued. “They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG.”
As reported by REVOLT, the 44-year-old announced he was retiring last month after 22 record-breaking seasons. In a lengthy Instagram post, he explained that it was “time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention,” citing his family and business ventures. However, he says he’s now returning to the NFL with the full support of his family.
In a statement on Sunday evening, Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht said they’ve been preparing for Brady to announce his return for the past few days.
“We are thrilled that Tom has decided to come back this season,” he said. “We said we would leave all options open for him should he reconsider his retirement and today’s announcement is something we have been preparing for in recent days. [Head coach] Bruce [Arians] and I have had plenty of conversations with Tom recently that led us to believe there was a realistic chance he would want to come back.”
“Tom is the greatest quarterback of all time who is still playing at an elite level,” he added. “With this decision now made, we will continue to move forward with our off-season plans to reload this roster for another championship run.”
See Brady’s announcement on Twitter below.