Seven-time Super Bowl winner and NFL great Tom Brady announces retirement

NFL great Tom Brady has announced that he is retiring from the sport aged 44.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback has won seven Super Bowls in an astonishing career spanning 22 seasons.

Brady spent 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, winning six Super Bowl titles, before relocating to Tampa Bay and leading the Bucs to a championship last season.

He has long stated his desire to spend more time with his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, and three children despite still playing at the top of his game.

“I have always believed the sport of football is an 'all-in' proposition — if a 100 per cent competitive commitment isn't there, you won't succeed, and success is what I love so much about our game,” Brady wrote in a lengthy post on Instagram.

“There is a physical, mental, and emotional challenge EVERY single day that has allowed me to maximise my highest potential. And I have tried my very best these past 22 years. There are no shortcuts to success on the field or in life.

“This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment any more. 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 NFL icon leaves the sport after also securing five Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards and three NFL MVP awards.

And while Brady was unable to crown his final season with an eighth Super Bowl, he went out on a high after amassing a career-high 5,316 passing yards.

He also heads the all-time passing rankings, with 84,520 yards, more than 4,000 yards clear of his nearest rival, the now retired Drew Brees.

Brady's longevity is all the more remarkable given the relatively short average career length of an NFL