Tom Brady’s retirement has shocked the NFL and sports world, as we know it. As a Patriots fan, I am saddened but excited to see what the new NFL will look like without its greatest player in it. So, here’s a final note to the league’s most celebrated player from a Patriots fan and Patriots Nation.

Dear Tom,

Thank you for everything. The countless wins, the heartbreaking losses, and the bonds that were created because of your commitment to the team and excellence on the football field. Your career defined consistency, and brought the whole New England region more joy than anyone could’ve imagined. Let’s relive some of that joy in a few memories.

The legend of the Patriots dynasty began during that game winning drive of Super Bowl 36 in the 2001-2002 season with the famous words of the late and great John Madden uttering, “What Tom Brady just did, gives me goosebumps.” That drive was a precursor of what was to come for two decades and against all odds, redefined the term “stepping up to the plate.” We all watched you take the field with 1:21 left of a tied game, against the Greatest Show on Turf Rams, and march the team down the field for Vinatieri to kick the Super Bowl clinching field goal. The young California kid with the biggest chip on his shoulder was trusted to win us our first Super Bowl, and we are still so proud of that.

Six years and two more Super Bowl wins later in 2007, the NFL watched you win your first Most Valuable Player award as you threw for a then-record 50 touchdown passes and led the Patriots to a 16-0 regular season record; something that has never been done. The year ended with a heartbreaking Super Bowl loss that I think a lot of us would like to forget, but that doesn’t take away from the greatness and dominance that was shown week in and week out by your offense and the rest of the Patriots team. This was a breakout season offensively and proved just how strong your prime was about to be for years to come.

We then watched you throw for an NFL record FIVE touchdown passes in one quarter in a snowy 59-0 blowout win over the Tennessee Titans in 2009. This came just 11 months after your year ending ACL injury the season before. This is a game most of us would never forget, because we knew our captain was back and better than ever as you put up a phenomenal season en route to winning the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year. This season was filled with trials and tribulation, but showed that we were on the same track we were on in 2007 and the years before in having championship-caliber teams.

You then led the Patriots to victory in their first Super Bowl after a decade long drought in the 2014-2015 season, in an unforgettable game against the Legion of Boom Seattle Seahawks. Your 12-4 Patriots were in a 24-14 hole in the fourth quarter, and you stormed them back to win the game on game winning touchdown passes to Julian Edelman and Danny “Playoff” Amendola. This game redefined your career, coming off a decade long shortage in championships and after the last two heartbreaking Super Bowl appearances you were apart of in 2007 and 2011. This team proved to be one of the best teams the Patriots have won a Super Bowl with and displayed what it is to win “for each other.” Your fourth Super Bowl is widely considered one of the greatest playoff games ever played, and rightfully so.

The comeback. A game that will live in history as maybe the greatest playoff game of all time. In Super Bowl 51, against the Atlanta Falcons, it seemed as if all hope was lost as you and the Patriots were down 28-3 in the third quarter against the MVP Matt Ryan and his Falcons. The game took a turn when you hit James White for a score, and the rest is history. Play after play offensively and defensively, you led the Patriots to storm back on the Falcons and tie the game up with 0:57 left heading into overtime. We witnessed Matthew Slater win that coin toss, and immediately knew the game was over. You stormed your offense down the field, and tossed James White the game winning touchdown on a sweep. This is the game you won your fourth Super Bowl MVP, a new NFL record, and solidified yourself in history as the greatest quarterback of all time.

Then a day none of us would ever forget: March 14, 2020. This was the day you bid farewell to the Patriots and Patriots Nation as you began your journey with free agency and evidently the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This day saw tears, anger, but also appreciation and pride in the years of dominance that we will celebrate forever. Aside from a few fans left with a bitter taste in their mouths, Patriots Nation still rooted you on as you won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2020, for a total of seven, being more than every NFL franchise.

Your NFL career has been an incredible journey, and one that I believe will live in history as the greatest ever. 7 Super Bowls, 5 Super Bowl MVP’s, 15 Pro Bowls, Most Career passing yards and touchdowns, and numerous records speak for themselves. You gave us Patriots fans so many memories that will last a lifetime and are untouchable. You came in as the sixth round draft pick and turned into the leader of a dynasty. You made us all feel like winners, and are the reason many of us have the motivation to keep going like you’ve exemplified over the years. So thank you for not only the winning seasons and championships, but for changing sports for all of us and showing us what it means to be a leader and a true athlete.

It is so sad to see you go, but we know that you will apply the same amount of dedication to the next chapter as you did in your football career. So thanks for everything and good luck in whatever the future holds.

The GOAT!!

- Patriots Nation