It's official: Tom Brady will not be returning to the New England Patriots.
The six-time Super Bowl champion took to social media on Tuesday morning to confirm that his 20-year run with the Patriots is over, although he still has not announced which team he will be signing with. At this time, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain the frontrunner for Brady's services.
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Brady's announcement came in two parts, one directed at his Patriots teammates, coaches, executives and staff, and another for all of Pats Nation who have supported him over his illustrious tenure in New England.
On a post captioned "FOREVER A PATRIOT," Brady writes: "Although my football journey will take place elsewhere, I appreciate everything that we have achieved and am grateful for our incredible TEAM accomplishments. I have been privileged to have had the opportunity to know each and everyone of you, and to have the memories we've created together.
During his time with the Patriots, the 43-year old QB went to nine Super Bowls, winning six and earning MVP honors in four. He led New England to 17 AFC East title, was a 14-time Pro Bowler and three-time league MVP.
Check out Brady's full comments about his decision to move on from New England in the IG posts embedded below, followed by some reactions from fans around the league.
Tom Brady Unlikely To Sign With Patriots, Says ESPN Reporter
Multiple reports suggest Tom Brady intends to leave the New England Patriots once NFL free agency officially opens.
Tom Brady to the Las Vegas Raiders? Tom Brady to the Los Angeles Chargers? Tom Brady to any team other than the New England Patriots? It's tough to envision No. 12 quarterbacking any franchise other than the one he has spent his first 20 NFL seasons with, but there seems to be a growing belief that he will leave once free agency officially opens.
During Thursday's episode of "Get Up," ESPN's Jeff Darlington revealed that he would be "stunned" if Brady stuck with the Patriots.
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Says Darlington, "There are people very close to Tom Brady who are being told by Tom Brady, 'It's not gonna happen. I'm going somewhere else.'" He adds, "We need to wrap our minds around the fact that it is far more likely than not that Tom Brady will not be back with the Patriots. I am now at the point where I would be stunned if Tom Brady returns to the Patriots."
Adding further belief that Brady's run in New England is coming to a close comes from The Boston Herald's Karen Guregian, who reports that the Pats have not even reached out to Brady to discuss a new contract. Similar to Jeff Darling's comments, Guregian notes that Brady's chances of staying in New England are "not looking good."