Tom Brady's retirement news dropped like a bomb on Saturday, with ESPN first reporting the development that sent the whole sports world in shock. However, it also blew up on the network's face when the parties involved pushed back on the claim that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback has made his final decision.
The Buccaneers, Brady's dad, his agent and even head coach Bruce Arians denied that Brady has already confirmed his decision to retire. As Arians said it, TB12 is not yet even close to making up his mind as he ponders on his future and his priorities.
Despite the confusion it has created, though, ESPN released a statement and noted that they are standing by the accuracy of their reporting.
ESPN says, "We stand by our reporting."
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) January 29, 2022
For what it's worth, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network gave clarity on the situation behind the Tom Brady retirement drama. Apparently, the Buccaneers QB has indeed made the decision to retire, but the pushback from his camp and the Bucs came because of the timing of the news.
Simply put, there is no question about the decision, but it might have been leaked prematurely. Brady might have wanted for it to be released at a later date or whenever he deems it appropriate.
With that said, fans will just have to wait for Tom Brady's official announcement to get confirmation whether he'll retire or not. By the looks of it, it won't be long before the 44-year-old icon speaks out himself, anyway.
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