Quarterback Tom Brady writes farewell letter to Patriots coaches and fans
Love or hate him and the team, but this is the end of an era in the NFL.
Quarterback Tom Brady posted a message on Twitter on Tuesday morning saying farewell to the Patriots. In 20 seasons in New England, Brady helped the Patriots to six Super Bowl championships in nine appearances.
While Brady, who is a free agent, will be leaving the Patriots, he didn’t reveal which team he would join.
In the Twitter post, Brady wrote: “FOREVER A PATRIOT” and included a screenshot of a letter to the franchise and its fans.
This is a portion of the letter: “To all my teammates, coaches, executives and staff, Coach Belichick, RKK, the Kraft family and the entire organization. I want to say thank you for the past twenty years of my life and the daily commitment to winning and creating a winning culture built upon great values. I am grateful for all that you have taught me — I have learned from everyone. You have all allowed me to maximize my potential and that is all a player can ever hope for.”
Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he views Brady as a son.
“How do I possibly sum up the depth of my gratitude to Tom Brady for what he’s given us these past 20 years, or the sadness I feel knowing it’s ending? I love Tom like a son and I always will,” Kraft said in a statement on the team’s website. “He has brought so much happiness to me personally and to all of our fans. I had hoped this day would never come, but rather that Tom would end his remarkable career in a Patriots uniform after yet another Super Bowl championship. Unfortunately, the two sides were unable to reach an agreement to allow that dream to become a reality. While sad today, the overwhelming feeling I have is appreciation for his countless contributions to our team and community.”
The Buccaneers and Chargers are widely considered to be the likely next stop for Brady, 42. But ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Brady hasn’t made a decision on where he will play next season and “is exploring his options.”
Brady has a 219-64 record as a starter in the regular season, and New England won 17 AFC East titles during his tenure. He is a three-time NFL MVP and four-time Super Bowl MVP who has thrown for 74,571 yards and 541 touchdowns in his career.
In 41 playoff games, the Patriots were 30-11 with Brady under center and New England appeared in 13 AFC Championship Games in an 18-year span, including eight straight from 2011-18.
“Tom was not just a player who bought into our program,” coach Bill Belichick said in a statement on the Patriots’ website. :He was one of its original creators. Tom lived and perpetuated our culture. On a daily basis, he was a tone setter and a bar raiser. He won championships in three of his first four years on the field and in three of his final six seasons with us, while competing for championships in most every season in between. This is a credit to Tom’s consistency and what separates him. He didn’t just perform. He didn’t just win. He won championships over and over again.
“Tom and I will always have a great relationship built on love, admiration, respect and appreciation. Tom’s success as a player and his character as a person are exceptional. Nothing about the end of Tom’s Patriots career changes how unfathomably spectacular it was. With his relentless competitiveness and longevity, he earned everyone’s adoration and will be celebrated forever. It has been a privilege to coach Tom Brady for 20 years.”
This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 9:08 AM with the headline "Quarterback Tom Brady writes farewell letter to Patriots coaches and fans."
