NFL superstar Tom Brady is leaving the New England Patriots, ending an era for the quarterback and the team that Brady lead to six Super Bowl championships since he signed on in 2000.
Brady disclosed that he will move on from the team in a tweet sent early Tuesday. He thanked Patriots fans for embracing him and acknowledged: “I don’t know what my football future holds but it is time for me to open a new stage for my life and career.”
Brady’s move comes a day before NFL teams can officially reach out to free agent players about the upcoming season. Brady’s ascent along with the Patriots’ dominance under coach Bill Belichick for the past two decades has made the team the single-most bankable NFL franchise when it comes to TV viewership.
Brady is the winningest quarterback in NFL history with six Super Bowl titles, starting in 2001. At 42, he has also set a new standard for NFL quarterbacks continuing to play long after the age at which players previously retired from the game.
Speculation about Brady moving on from New England has been growing in recent weeks. The Los Angeles Chargers is seen as a possible destination for the player who grew up in San Mateo, Calif.
Brady earlier this month unveiled plans to launch a content production venture, 199 Productions. Among the projects the company is shepherding is a 3-D documentary project designed to take viewers into “invisible realms” of football. Brady has teamed with helmers Joe and Anthony Russo to bring “Unseen Football” to fruition.
More to come