OROn February 1, via a post posted to his Instagram account, the seven-time Super Bowl quarterback announced his retirement from professional football after 22 seasons. NFL.
Thousands of New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans sent him messages thanking him for his dedication on the pitch.
There was even a collector who paid $518.25 for a ball representing the “last” touchdown scored by a man who was considered a living legend of the sport.
Likewise, several of Tom Brady’s former teammates dedicated messages to him with admiration, and topics related to his career appeared intermittently in mainstream sports spaces for several days.
It was just a pause in his career.
Even Peyton Manning himself, with whom he had a strong rivalry between 2000 and 2010, dedicated a two-page letter to congratulate him on his storied career, but also sent him a bottle of expensive wine, which he apparently held out his hand to put an end to the animosity fed through a decade of sporting clashes.
However, the whole story with a happy ending collapsed within a few weeks, as Brady decided to refuse a tempting offer from the Buccaneers to return to the field.
eternal rivalry
This action embarrassed, first, a man who spent part of his fortune buying a heirloom associated with a veteran quarterback, and second, his NFL arch-rival, who sent him an angry message in the form of an ultimatum.
“I want my letter back. You should read all these nice things, I want it back. I also want my bottle of wine back,” Peyton Manning said.
Brady and Manning have faced each other 18 times: 13 in the regular season and five in the playoffs, with Tom winning 9-4. However, Manning dominated the playoffs 3-2.