Tom Brady officially announces his retirement in heartfelt Instagram post

• Tom Brady has officially announced his retirement.
• In a post on Instagram, Brady said he would be hanging up his cleats after 22 seasons and seven Super Bowl rings.

Tom Brady is officially retired.

In a heartfelt message posted to Instagram, Brady confirmed that the 2021 season was his last in the NFL.

"I have always believed the sport of football is an 'all-in' proposition — if a 100% competitive commitment isn't there, you won't succeed, as success is what I love so much about our game," Brady wrote. "There is a physical, mental, and emotional challenge EVERY single day that has allowed me to maximize my highest potential. And I have tried my very best these past 22 years. There are no shortcuts to success on the field or in life.

"This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention."

News of Brady's coming retirement first broke on Saturday with a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington.

After ESPN's report, Brady's agent Don Yee put out a statement that briefly threw his retirement into question.

"I understand the advance speculation about Tom's future," Yee said in the statement. "Without getting into the accuracy or inaccuracy of what's being reported, Tom will be the only person to express his plans with complete accuracy. He knows the realities of the football business and planning calendar as well as anybody, so that should be soon."

In the hours after that, reports that Brady had not told the Buccaneers of his plans to retire, as well as a more forthright denial of his potential retirement plans from his father, muddied the waters of Brady's future even futher.

But after the few days of questions, Brady resolved the issue himself, making his retirement official on his own terms.

Brady retires after 22 seasons as the NFL's all time leading passer with seven Super Bowl rings to his name, more than any individual franchise. He is the greatest of all time.