Tom Brady Addresses Retirement Rumors, Thanks Buccaneers' Faithful

Tom Brady responded to retirement rumors and thank his Tampa Bay Buccaneers' teammates and fans in a Tuesday Instagram post.

The eyes of the entire NFL and football fans everywhere will be glued to their televisions and social media channels for some time, awaiting a decision from Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady on his future in the league.

It has been reported by numerous outlets since Sunday, beginning hours before the Bucs' Divisional Round loss to the Los Angeles Rams, that Brady has been noncommittal regarding his future in football. At age 44, 22 seasons and seven Super Bowl titles into his professional career, Brady is at a point where, perhaps, time away from his family and the threat of injuries have caught up to him. 

Brady took to Instagram on Tuesday, noting the relevance of the decision he has to make but using the outlet to personally thank his teammates, Tampa Bay affiliates and Buccaneers fans everywhere.

"I understand that at this stage in my career, there is going to be interest in my future whenever a season ends, but this week, all that is on my mind is the gratitude I have for this team and the fans that have supported us all year long. This year has been incredibly rewarding personally and professionally and I am appreciative of everyone who worked their ass off to help our team achieve so much.

"I always want to win, I think that’s pretty apparent by now, but that doesn’t mean I equate losing to failure, especially when you go out fighting the way we did.. There’s so much to appreciate in a season like this when you’re surrounded by a team that believes in each other, and plays for the people standing on either side of them. I’ll spare you the Man in the Arena quote, but that feeling is something that I promise I’ll never take for granted. To everyone that was a part of it this year, thank you. I love you all!"

It doesn't appear as though Brady is ready to make his decision final quite yet, and Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians shared on Monday that the quarterback can "take all the time he needs" to think things over. 

Whether it's sooner or later, the entire NFL world — honestly, the world in its entirety — is waiting for an answer, one way or another.

Stay tuned to AllBucs for further coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and other NFL news and analysis. Follow along on social media at @SIBuccaneers on Twitter and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sports Illustrated on Facebook.