Buccaneers Owners Release Classy Statement After Tom Brady's Retirement

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers received disappointing news on Wednesday when Tom Brady opted to retire rather than return to the team for a fourth season.

While Brady's time with the Buccaneers was relatively brief, he still managed to accomplish a lot during his three years in Tampa Bay. Not surprisingly, the team's owners had nothing but nice things to say about their star quarterback.

Tom Brady Retirement

The Buccaneers thanked Brady for his invaluable contributions to the franchise, both on the field and off. He immediately delivered a Super Bowl title in his first season with Tampa Bay in 2020 -- the seventh ring of his career.

While the Bucs fell short of the big game in each of the next two seasons, Brady still helped them win back-to-back division titles for the first time in franchise history. After two decades of mediocrity, Tampa Bay made the playoffs in all three seasons with Brady under center.

The Buccaneers began to slip during Brady's final season there, however, falling to 8-9 and losing in the Wild Card Round. Much of the team's coaching staff was promptly let go, which may have dissuaded Brady from a potential return.

After 23 NFL seasons, the 45-year-old legend is finally calling it a career. Tampa Bay will miss him, but at least he's retiring as a Buccaneer.