NFL legend Tom Brady will be retiring after 22 seasons, seven Super Bowl wins

According to ESPN, Tom Brady is retiring from football after 22 seasons in which he won a record seven Super Bowl titles. Brady, widely regarded as the greatest quarterback in NFL history, knew it was likely his final act as a football player when he exited the field following the Tampa Bay Buccaneer's loss to the Los Angeles Rams last weekend, according to sources. He has spent time processing that perspective in the days since, according to sources, and is preparing his retirement announcement as well as the next stage of his life and career.

Brady's decision to retire, according to sources, was influenced by a number of things, including his family and health. Brady is aware, albeit to a lesser extent, that the Buccaneers are going to experience considerable personnel change, according to sources.

Brady, 44, has been insistent for weeks that he does not want a "farewell season," and many people who know him believe he prefers a decision made without a lot of fuss. According to insiders, he will turn his focus to new pursuits and believes now is the ideal time to stop his playing career.

Brady has yet to announce his retirement plans, but he will do it with care so as not to overshadow the NFL's postseason games, including the Super Bowl. Brady's organization, TB12 Sports, sent out a tweet that looked to announce his decision, but it was quickly deleted.

Brady's agent, Don Yee, said he would defer any comments on the quarterback's future to Brady himself.

"I understand the advance speculation about Tom's future," Yee said in a statement. "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."

Buccaneers officials and coaches have been preparing for Brady's retirement in recent weeks, understanding that he would most certainly retire after the season, according to team sources. According to one source, "all signals point" to Brady's retirement as recently as this week.

The Buccaneers planned to make a strong case for Brady to return for another season, but they understand that such an effort is unlikely to succeed, and they are resigned to the problems that lie ahead.

Brady had not informed Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians or the team of his retirement plans, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine. In a text message to ESPN, Tom Brady Sr. said, "Tommy has made no such determination" about his playing future.

Despite this, Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin was among those who reacted to the news on Twitter by congratulating Brady. Mike Evans, another wide receiver, congratulated Brady on social media as too, but then removed the comment.

Brady will complete a legendary career that spanned three decades and took him from Foxborough to Tampa to Canton when he makes his retirement official.

He earned seven Lombardi trophies, the most in NFL history for a single player, as well as five Super Bowl MVP awards. During his 22-year career, he set numerous records, including the most touchdown passes (624) and passing yards (84,250).

Brady's performance in the final year of his career, when he led the NFL in touchdowns and passing yards during the regular season, hinted that he could have continued to play at a championship level. But, according to reports, he acknowledged the sacrifice it would entail for him and his family and decided it was time to move on to new challenges.

Brady used the term "satisfied" to describe how he felt about his NFL career earlier this week on his "Let's Go" podcast with presenter Jim Gray, which drew the attention of those who knew a man who rarely is content with his accomplishments. Brady stated that his family's wishes will play a significant role in his impending choice.

"I said this a few years ago, it's what relationships are all about," Brady said on the podcast. "It's not always what I want. It's what we want as a family. And I'm going to spend a lot of time with them and figure out in the future what's next."

Brady and his family are now constructing a home in South Florida, just north of Miami.

"I'll know when I know," Brady said during the podcast. "I think for all of us, you know, we can all decompress a bit. It's been six straight months of football. Every day is consumed by day in and day out football. And I think now it's just some time to spend some time with my family and spend some time with my kids."

This postseason, Brady will become the second future Hall of Fame quarterback to retire. Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers announced his retirement on Thursday.