After a brief retirement at the back end of last season, Tom Brady is ‘expected’ to retire this season. 

If rumours are true, it would bring an end to a highly decorated 22-year career. Brady has become part of the furniture in the NFL, and will go down as one of the greats.

NFL insider Ian Rapport, who broke the news, revealed:

“The 45-year-old is heading into what is expected to be his final season in the NFL, according to sources with knowledge of his thinking.

“He has never said it publicly, but multiple parties involved acknowledge that after last year’s retirement then unretirement, the end is coming.

“That is the understanding, that this is the final year.”

Brady was a sixth-round draft pick for the New England Patriots in the 2000 draft. As a sixth-round draft pick, no one would have expected Brady to have the career he has had.

His honours list is astonishing, with 14 Pro Bowls, one Comeback Player of the Year award, two Offensive Player of the Year awards, three MVP awards, five Super Bowl MVP awards and seven championships. It’s a list that sets him apart from many others in the game, and he looks like he could add to that this season.

On the rumours about his retirement, Brady said:

“I think we’re all getting one day older at a time.

“We’re all not sure whether we’re going to be here next year or not, that’s the reality for every player, every coach, every parent. You just never know. We should all take advantage of the opportunity that we have.”

With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady already has one Super Bowl ring, and this season he could add another.

They started this season off strongly with a 19-3 win against the Dallas Cowboys.

Brady might be set to retire, but don’t count him, or the Buccaneers, out of the running for the Super Bowl this season.