Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots in action against the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas.
Ronald Martinez | Getty Images
Tom Brady announced Tuesday that he will leave the New England Patriots.
In a tweet, Brady thanked the team but said, “Although my football journey will take me elsewhere, I appreciate everything that we have achieved and am grateful for our incredible team accomplishments.”
The move comes after a flurry of player transactions on Monday in preparation for Wednesday’s official start of free agency. Brady’s future with the Patriots was a mystery most of of the 2019 season. Some NFL agents started to believe he would remain in with the team, especially as deals like Ryan Tannehill extension with the Tennessee Titans, a rumored destination.
Though Brady did not indicate where he would play next season, his statement didn’t mention retirement.
Brady leaves the Patriots leading the franchise in almost every quarterback category including completions (6,377), passing yards (74,571), passing touchdowns (541), and games (285). Brady led the Patriots to six Super Bowls wins, won four Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards, and three NFL MVP awards, and selected to 14 Pro Bowls.
He finishes his career with the Patriots with a 219 wins, which also leads the franchise.
Notable teams that are considering a quarterback include the Chicago Bears, who could be ready to move on from Mitch Trubisky. The Los Angeles Chargers are also searching for a quarterback, as the team moved on from longtime quarterback Philip Rivers. Brady is a California native, which helped spark the rumors about landing with the Chargers.
NFL.com also reported the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are interested in signing Brady.
