Tom Brady filed paperwork with the NFL and NFL Players Association, signaling his retirement after 23 seasons, reports ESPN.com.
Brady made his retirement announcement on social media on Feb. 1, weeks after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were routed by the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round.
Brady filing retirement paperwork doesn’t mean his playing status is final as he can return at any time and come back to play. Once Brady becomes an official free agent at the beginning of the league year on March 15 at 4 p.m. ET, he can sign any contract with any NFL team.
Brady would be a no-doubt first-ballot Hall of Famer in the class of 2028 if he stays off the field. Any eligible player must be retired for five consecutive seasons to garner Hall of Fame consideration.
The 45-year-old seven-time Super Bowl winner leaves Tampa Bay with salary cap issues to work out. They are currently $55 million over the cap for 2023 and will be on the hook for $35.1 million in salary cap dead money after Brady’s retirement.
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Brady said he will start his analyst job with Fox Sports for the 2024 season, which will reportedly pay him $375 million over his 10-year deal.
