New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick showered his former quarterback Tom Brady with praise after the latter announced his retirement after 22 years in the NFL. In a statement, Belichick, who won six Super Bowl rings with Brady as his quarterback in 20 seasons with the Patriots, said he's privileged to have selected him as the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft and coached him for 20 seasons.
"Tom's humble beginning in professional football ultimately ended with him becoming the best player in NFL history," said Belichick, calling Brady the ultimate competitor and winner.
Belichick also lauded Brady for consistently performing at the highest level and his inspirational pursuit of excellence. "Tom was professional on and off the field and carried himself with class, integrity, and kindness," added Belichick as he thanked him for providing him and the Patriots with positive impact for 20 years. Brady left the Patriots in 2020 and signed a two-year deal worth $50 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady then led the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl title since 2002 with a 31-9 triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. In addition, Brady set several records, including most touchdown passes with 624, most passing yards with 84,250, most regular-season wins with 243, and most playoff wins in NFL history with 35.
Bridget Moynahan congratulates Brady
Before Brady met supermodel Gisele Bundchen, he had a three-year relationship with actress Bridget Moynahan. After breaking up, Moynahan discovered that she was pregnant with Brady's child. Despite their separation, the two developed a close friendship, and they both share parental duties with their child Jack.
When Brady announced his retirement, Moynahan was among the first to wish the quarterback well, per Elyse Dupre of E! Online. "So proud of @TomBrady," Moynahan said on Twitter, adding, "Yesterday and today, and I know you will do great things tomorrow." The actress also said that she's "Looking forward to the next steps." Jack currently lives in New York with Moynahan, but he attended some of the Buccaneers' games last season.
Mark Wahlberg weighs in on Brady's retirement
Actor Mark Wahlberg, a Patriots fan and a close friend of Brady, discussed the quarterback's retirement. "Very happy for him," said Wahlberg. After giving them six Super Bowl rings, Wahlberg said Brady had done much for football, especially New England. "It's nice for him to go out on his own terms and go and enjoy the rest of his life," said Wahlberg, adding he expects Brady to conquer the world and become the greatest of all time (GOAT) at something else.
