Gisele Bundchen shows support for her husband Tom Brady after he announces decision to un-retire

Tom Brady’s retirement reversal came about with some convincing from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers brass, and with the full support of his wife and children. 

The seven-time Super Bowl champion announced his decision to come out of his brief retirement for a 23rd NFL season on Sunday, rejoining the Buccaneers after several talks with Bucs GM Jason Licht and head coach Bruce Arians. 

‘Bruce and I have had plenty of conversations with Tom recently that led us to believe there was a realistic chance he would want to come back,’ Licht said in a statement. 

It certainly helped that his wife, Gisele Bundchen, was on board. 

‘I think once Brady found out his family backed him doing what he truly wanted to do—play or not play—he figured he had clearance to make the decision he wanted to make,’ wrote longtime NFL reporter Peter King. ‘That decision, his good friend and podcast partner Jim Gray told me Sunday night, was rooted in how he feels about football, and how he feels, period.’

As Gray told King: ‘I don’t think Tom wanted to be sitting there, out of the game and watching football in September and thinking, ”I’m as good as those guys. I can still do this. I still love it.”

And Brady, 44, certainly can still play. In 2021, his 22nd season in the league and second with the Bucs, the GOAT led all quarterbacks in passing yards (5,316), touchdown passes (43) and completions (485).

‘It takes a whole lot to turn off that love of the game,’ Gray told King. ‘He would not play if he didn’t think he could win the Super Bowl.’  

Bundchen, 41, publicly reacted to Brady’s announcement on Sunday. 

‘Here we go again! Let’s go lovvvey! Let’s go Bucs!’ she commented on her man’s announcement on Sunday evening. 

When he announced his retirement, Brady cited his desire to spend more time with his wife and three children when he decided to walk away from the game.  

In addition, his ex-girlfriend, Bridget Moynahan, who is the mother of his 14-year-old son Jack, wrote on her Instagram: ‘Thank God, I had no idea what I was going to do with my Sundays. Congratulations @tombrady, so proud of you!’

To fans’ surprise, the seven-time Super Bowl champion declared he would be returning to the field via his social media accounts over the weekend. 

‘These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands,’ the champion quarterback announced on Twitter on Sunday. 

Cheering him on! The 41-year-old supermodel publicly reacted to the exciting news just an hour after her spouse, 44, revealed to the world he would be joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for another season

‘Here we go again! Let’s go lovvvey! Let’s go Bucs!’ she commented on her man’s announcement on Sunday

Lots of love: His ex-girlfriend, Bridget Moynahan, who is the mother of his 14-year-old son Jack, wrote on her Instagram: ‘Thank God, I had no idea what I was going to do with my Sundays. Congratulations @tombrady, so proud of you!’

‘That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG.’ 

Brady led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title following the 2020 season and NFC South championship last season.

He spent 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, winning six Super Bowl titles before moving to Tampa Bay.   

The iconic quarterback, 44, brought the curtain down on a glittering 22-year career when he announced his retirement on February 1. 

Brady announced his decision on Twitter and Instagram, saying he has ‘unfinished business’

Brady made the announcement hours after posing for a photo with Manchester United soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo at the British team’s iconic Old Trafford stadium

The quarterback stunned the world on Sunday when he confirmed he would be re-joining the Buccaneers for another campaign after 40 days in retirement. 

However, his decision may not be that surprising considering just a week into his ‘retirement,’ Brady said ‘never say never’ about playing again. 

He made the comeback announcement hours after sharing a photo of himself visiting Manchester United’s Old Trafford training ground in England, and meeting with the British team’s iconic striker Cristiano Ronaldo, himself a veteran sportsman widely-regarded as still being at the top of his game.  

The 44-year-old led the NFL in yards passing (5,316), touchdowns (43), completions (485) and attempts (719) in 2021, but the Buccaneers lost at home to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round. 

Brady announced his decision to return to the Bucs one day before the NFL free agency period begins.   

Brady announced his decision to retire last month, citing the desire to spend more time with his wife and three children. Brady posted the above photo to Instagram on Sunday when he announced his return to the game

Brady announced his decision to return to the Bucs one day before the NFL free agency period begins. He included this photo in his Instagram post announcing his return

When he announced his retirement, Brady cited his desire to spend more time with his wife and three children when he decided to walk away from the game. 

‘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, and success is what I love so much about our game,’ Brady wrote on February 1.

‘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.’

He also thanked Bundchen and his children, saying they are his ‘inspiration’ and ‘greatest achievement.’

Just weeks after Brady announced his retirement, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the NFL superstar was set to act and produce in a football-themed road trip movie titled 80 For Brady. 

He was expected to join forces with several acting legends including Rita Moreno, Sally Field, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin for the project.

The foursome of Hollywood icons would be playing four best friends and New England Patriots fans who take a life-changing trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their sports hero Brady play.

Brady signed a one-year, $25 million contract extension after guiding the Bucs to a Super Bowl win last year. That deal included a $20 million signing bonus, $15 million of which would have been paid to him in February. The details of his deal for the 2022 season remain unclear

The film was inspired by a true story and will follow the chaos that happens as a result of the trip as they try to navigate their way to the biggest sporting event in America. 

Brady – who led the New England Patriots to a comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons, 34-28 – was heavily involved with the inception of the project as he developed it with Donna Gigliotti.

The film will be directed by Kyle Marvin, who also co-wrote the script with Michael Covino. It is set to be made by Paramount Pictures and Endeavor Content.   

Brady signed a one-year, $25 million contract extension after guiding the Bucs to a Super Bowl win last year. That deal included a $20 million signing bonus, $15 million of which would have been paid to him in February.

The details of his deal for the 2022 season remain unclear.  

Since being drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady has earned more than $292 million in salary over 22 seasons, according to Spotrac.

That does not include earnings from his fitness brand or his many endorsement deals with companies such as Subway and Under Armour, not to mention his recent foray into non-fungible tokens. 

News of his return to the field was met with both support and sarcasm online.

‘He’s baaackkkk,’ the Buccaneers posted. 

‘Damn, even Tom Brady saw 7.9% inflation and record-high gas prices and decided he needed to go back to work,’ tweeted Joe Pompliano, Founder of Huddle Up.

‘Tom Brady waking up and seeing nothing but another Parent-Teacher conference on the daily schedule,’ the Pat McAffee Show tweeted with a meme of The Office character Michael Scott shaking his head.

‘THANK YOU! Throw that last touchdown on somebody else,’ Los Angeles rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey tweeted.

‘Tom Brady just snatched March Madness away from twitter,’ added podcaster ‘Big Cat,’ real name Dan Katz.  

FAMOUS (AND INFAMOUS) COMEBACKS BY US ATHLETES

Tom Brady is not the first American sports superstar to do an about-face after retiring

By Alex Raskin, Sports News Editor for DailyMail.com

Tom Brady is hardly the first American sports icon to reverse course on retirement. By calling an audible on his decision to quit, the 44-year-old quarterback joins a celebrated group of athletes, many of whom only hurt their legacy by returning to action. For every Michael Jordan, who won three more NBA titles after his first retirement from basketball, there is a Joe Louis, the once-celebrated boxer who was knocked out of the ring by Rocky Marciano during his return to the ring in 1951.

Here are a few of the most famous – and infamous – comebacks in US sports history:

Michael Jordan: After winning three NBA titles, the Chicago Bulls superstar famously shocked the world in October of 1993 by retiring from basketball to take a shot at minor league baseball. Jordan saw the move as a way to remember his father, a diehard baseball fan who had been murdered by a pair of teenagers at a North Carolina highway rest stop earlier that year. Bulls and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reisndorf helped facilitate the decision, signing Jordan to a minor league deal and assigning him to the Double-A Birmingham Barons in 1994. Jordan had the chance to reach the Majors as a replacement player during the strike of 1994-95, but instead announced his return to the NBA with a two-word press release, reading, ‘I’m back.’ A year later, he and the Bulls won an NBA-record 72 games before embarking on their second three-peat of the decade. Jordan went on to retire again in 1998, saying he was 99.9 percent sure he was done with basketball, but returned as a member of the Washington Wizards in 2001, playing two more (forgettable) seasons.

Michael Jordan retired from the NBA three times. In 1993, he quit to play minor league baseball, and had a brief (but forgettable) comeback with the Wizards in 2001

Favre finally called it quits as a member of the Green Bay Packers in 2008, only to do an about-face five months later and accept a trade to the New York Jets (pictured)

Brett Favre: The Hall of Fame quarterback seemed to wrestle with this decision at the end of every season. After waffling on retirement for several years, Favre finally called it quits as a member of the Green Bay Packers in 2008, only to do an about-face five months later and accept a trade to the New York Jets. Favre went just 4-12 in New York, where he was later accused of sending inappropriate pictures to a woman working for the team, and ultimately retired again in February of 2009. However, he still wasn’t done, and resurfaced with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009 and 2010, posting a 17-13 record over two seasons before finally retiring for good.

Clemens pitching for the Astros in the 2005 World Series against the White Sox

Roger Clemens: The seven-time Cy Young winner came out of retirement to pitch for the Houston Astros in 2004, leading the club’s starters with a 2.98 earned-run average and helping them get within a game of the World Series. He was even better the following year, posting a 1.87 ERA as the Astros won the National League, only to get swept by the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. Clemens still posted a 2.30 ERA the next season, but the Astros failed to make the playoffs. He returned to the Yankees in 2007, where he went just 6-6 with a mediocre 4.18 ERA and finally retired after that season, although he did make a few independent league appearances in 2012.

‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard: One of the most decorated boxers ever, Leonard made a habit out of retirement, calling it quits in 1982, 1987, 1991, and again in 1997. Interestingly, some of his best performances came after his first retirement, including his famed split-decision victory over ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler in 1987. However, his 1997 TKO loss to Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho at age 40 proved to be Leonard’s final comeback.

Ray Leonard (right) pictured losing to Hector Camacho (left) at age 40 in 1997

Muhammad Ali (right) came out of retirement to face his former sparring partner, Larry Holmes, in 1980. Holmes, the heavyweight champion, breezed to an easy victory 

In his final fight, Muhammad Ali was dominated by Jamaica’s Trevor Berbick (right)

Pittsburgh Penguins Mario Lemiuex waves to the crowd after a video presentation celebrating his 1000th career assist during the first period in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on February 12, 2003

Muhammad Ali: ‘The Greatest’ contemplated retirement throughout much of the 1970s, before finally decided to do so in 1979. But, facing financial problems, Ali was lured back into the ring by his former sparring partner, heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, who easily beat the ex-title holder. Sylvester Stallone, who was seated ringside, famously likened the fight to an autopsy on a living person. Already dealing with the effects of Parkinson’s syndrome, Ali finally stepped away from boxing for good in 1981 following unanimous decision loss to Trevor Berbick.

Mario Lemieux: ‘Super Mario’ has the rare distinction of playing for a team he owned, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and doing so after he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Quebec native first retired from the NHL in 1997, prompting the HOF to waive the customary three-year waiting period for enshrinement. He then bought the bankrupt Penguins in 1999, saving the club from foreclosure or relocation, before deciding to return to the ice in 2000. Despite the back problems that had prematurely ended his career at age 31, the 35-year-old Lemieux was sharp in 2000-01, scoring 35 goals and adding 41 assists. Lemieux, a two-time Stanley Cup winner, struggled to stay healthy over the next few years, before finally retiring in 2006 at age 40. Since then, he’s won three titles as Penguins owner, although he sold his majority stake in the team in December and is now just a minority partner.