Tom Brady announced earlier today that he is officially retiring at the age of 44 years old after 22 years of his career in the NFL.
There are many, many reasons why Tom Brady was loved in the city of Tampa, but here are some highlights of his time spent in the city:
1. The obvious one: He helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl in his first year as a Buc. After helping bring a few pieces of key talent to the team, he deployed his leadership capabilities and led us to the big game, which we won at our home stadium. What a moment for the city.
2. He embraced the city of Tampa during the celebratory boat parade – letting loose a bit more than he usually does, and even tossing the Lombardi Trophy from boat to boat. A risky move, but luckily it was a completed catch.
3. He gave a fan a little under $63,000 worth of bitcoin and more after giving back his 600th touchdown ball. The fan, luckily, was willing to negotiate and give the ball back. But Tom stepped up and over-delivered to make sure than fan got tons of value in crypto!
4. He surprised a child cancer survivor with seats at the Super Bowl. He sent 10-year old Noah Reeb a video to help him get through brain cancer, then Noah came to a Bucs game holding a sign that said “Tom Brady Helped Me Beat Brain Cancer” – and after seeing that sign in the crowd, Tom ran over and gave him his hat and shook his hand. He went step further by offering him Super Bowl tickets.
5. Tom Brady is one of the most crucial reasons why Tampa has emerged recently as a booming, up and coming city. Of course, the weather, thriving business community (among many other things) are the core reasons – but Tom Brady’s global brand and level of awareness allowed many new people to discover the amazing things Tampa has to offer. That, combined with the Super Bowl being hosted here, were a recipe for success.
6. Tom and his family helped thousands of people during the COVID-19 outbreak by paying for 750,000 meals through Feeding Tampa Bay. Even before ever running a single play for the Bucs, Tom and Gisele were already involved in the community giving back.
7. He helped attract key talent to the Buccaneers team, such as Rob Gronkowski and Leonard Fournette who played important roles in the Super Bowl win, and were productive in both of Tom’s two seasons as a Buccaneer. He also attracted veteran talent such as Richard Sherman and Antonio Brown to the team, who also contributed big plays and touchdowns throughout both seasons. Fun fact: everybody who scored a touchdown in the Super Bowl was personally recruited by Tom Brady to join the team: Gronk, AB, and Fournette.
8. Not only do you see TB12 shirts and hats all over Tampa… He also brought his brand TB12 physically to Tampa and opened a TB12 Performance and Recovery Center. If you suffer from pain, are recovering from an injury, or simply want to live a healthier life, the TB12 Body Coach team will help you integrate the TB12 method into your life, and it’s located right in Tampa on Armenia Avenue.
9. He helped fuel new excitement within the Tampa football fanbase. Demand for season ticket packages went through the roof when Tom Brady reached an agreement with Tampa Bay. According to Fox Business, there was a huge wait list for season passes just minutes after the news was announced. Throughout the night (and obviously as the season got closer) the demand and excitement grew even further. When you go to a Tampa Bay Bucs game, you see hundreds of number 12 jerseys everywhere you look, so there is no mistaking his impact on the overall level of excitement in Tampa.
10. After a long wait, he helped Tampa Bay get their first first playoff win since the 2002 season. It had been close to 20 years since they got a playoff win. After a rocky start, and having to “figure things out” throughout the regular season, the Bucs got hot at the perfect time, and became a force to reckon with in the playoffs.
11. He embraced Tampa’s close-knit feel and active outdoor lifestyle. In several articles and interviews, he referenced that he loved how low-key and “chill” the city was in terms of having a huge celebrity in town. He loved living on the Bay and having a boat, being able to paddleboard and jet ski whenever he wanted with his family. In a YouTube interview, he said he may never leave Florida.
12. He instilled his confidence and winning mentality in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers locker room. Cameron Brate (Tight End) said, “We never think we’re out of it” referring to having Tom Brady at the QB position, and that mentality adds a ton of confidence to the team. Confidence that will last – even long after he’s gone.
The end of an era…
It was a fun, thrilling ride with TB12 as the leader of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There may not be any upcoming risky tosses of the Lombardi Trophy on the water, but Tom’s legacy will be felt in Tampa Bay for many years to come.
It’s truly a “once in a lifetime” experience to have the greatest player in NFL history living and playing your city. As citizens of Tampa Bay, we sure are grateful it happened here.
Thank you, Tom, for everything you’ve done for Tampa. You have officially left your mark. #GOAT
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