It must have been hard for Tom Brady to watch the Super Bowl instead of playing in it. The newly retired Brady, 45, was one of the millions who tuned in to see the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, and he joked about how it felt off that he wasn’t on the field. The seven-time Super Bowl champ tweeted a gif from Talladega Nights, when Will Ferrell’s character, Ricky Bobby, says he’s “not sure what to do with my hands.” It was a moment of being uncomfortable and unsure of how to conduct oneself that seemed relatable to Brady.
However, right after that, Brady tweeted some love to the starting quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Jalen Hurts of the Eagles. “Two of the best tonight in Pat and Jalen. Good luck to KC and Philly, can’t wait to watch,” tweeted Tom.
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) February 12, 2023
Two of the best tonight in Pat and Jalen. Good luck to KC and Philly, can’t wait to watch.
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) February 12, 2023
Tom’s tweets come less than two weeks after he hung up his helmet for a second time. “Good morning, guys, I’ll get to the point right away: I’m retiring. For good,” he announced via an Instagram video on Feb. 1. “I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning, I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first. I won’t be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay, and I used mine up last year.” From there, Brady thanked everyone who supported him – “my family, my friends, teammates, my competitors. I could go on forever” – before adding that it was a pleasure to “live my absolute dream” and that he “wouldn’t change a thing. I love you all.”
The second retirement came one year after to the day, that he first flirted with walking away from football. In that “super emotional retirement essay” that Tom wrote in 2022, he said that he had “done a lot of reflecting the past week and have asked myself difficult questions,” resulting in him choosing to “leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes.” However, six weeks later, he announced that he “realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands,” and he un-retired.
Between his retirements, Tom and Gisele Bündchen ended their 13-year marriage, with many reports attributing his return to the NFL as a catalyst for the split. Gisele said that they had “grown apart” before making the decision to file for divorce. When Brady retired “for good,” Gisele sent him well-wishes.