Before the Super Bowl (about 7 weeks ago), Tom Brady, who is widely known as the greatest football player of all time–perhaps the greatest athlete of all time–suddenly retired from the game of football. It took a bit of time for the sports world (and even some spectators) to process the information that a player, whom the American public has come to love, has retired. But as soon as the reality of the situation set in, Tom Brady decided to give the NFL one more go-around. 

After a tough final loss against the Los Angeles Rams, most thought Brady would return for at least one more season, but shortly after his last game, podcasts, including his own, reported the end might be near. 

“It’s not that I can’t play or continue to play, but there’s an important choice for me to make,” Brady said. “Everything comes at a cost. And the cost is, what am I missing out on? As you get older, there are things outside of the sport that demand attention and energy that football has always gotten. Time for me to commit to those types of things.”

Once Brady acknowledged this, the sports world knew he would retire but still could not believe it. The reasons were valid: almost everyone who has watched at least one game of football knows about Tom Brady. And for people who are avid watchers, they have been watching him play for as long as they can remember. 

“I was honestly shocked that Tom Brady retired; I was numb and in disbelief for the first three days or so,”  junior Josh Greenbaum said. “I realized that the player I have been watching since I was a little kid is never going to play football again. A month after that, though, Brady just decided to come right back.” 

Reports were first made by Adam Schefter, a popular NFL insider, that we should “never say never” that Brady would return. Soon Brady made a statement suggesting the same information to reporters.

Now, to everyone’s surprise (??)Brady is out of retirement. With most of his star-studded teammates returning next year as well, the Buccaneers are back in contention for another Super Bowl title. 

“These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands,” Brady tweeted. “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.”