Tom Brady set to retire from NFL after glittering 22-year career

Tom Brady has decided to retire from the NFL after 22 seasons and a record seven Super Bowl victories, according to widespread reports.

The iconic 44-year-old, the most decorated player in the history of the league, suffered defeat in the NFL playoffs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.

Brady has previously hinted he could be tempted to continue playing into his 50s and was reluctant to make a knee-jerk decision in the immediate aftermath of the loss to Los Angeles Rams.

But the three-time NFL MVP reportedly made up his mind in the days that followed and the timing of his decision gives Tampa Bay ample time to plan for the future without the veteran quarterback.

ESPN first broke the story earlier this evening and Brady’s company, TB12, appeared to confirm the reports with a tribute to the ‘GOAT’ on Twitter.

‘7 Super Bowl Rings. 5 Super Bowl MVPs. 3 League MVP Awards. 22 Incredible Seasons. Thank you for it all, @TomBrady,’ the tweet read.

The NFL were also quick to pay tribute to Brady on their official Twitter feed, changing their bio to ‘#ThankYouTom’ before sharing videos of some of his most memorable moments down the years.

<p lang=«en» dir=«ltr» xml:lang=«en»>.@TomBrady gave us so many unbelievable moments… But this might’ve been his masterpiece. ð #ThankYouTom pic.twitter.com/qO7NCdVqek

In a brief statement, Brady’s agent, Don Yee, refused to confirm or deny reports that his client had brought an end to his NFL career.

‘I understand the advance speculation about Tom’s future,’ Yee said.

‘Without getting into the accuracy and 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