Wednesday, February 1st, 2023. Tom Brady has officially announced his retirement. Unknown if it is permanent or not…this is still a massive deal. Seven super bowls, three MVPs, and a whole lot of records later this is the end for a man who has been the poster boy of the NFL for well over two decades. This is a monumental moment in not only the NFL world but the entire world of professional sports. As one of the sports specialists for The Eagles Cry, it is my job to find out what our lovely staff and students here at BHS have on their minds following Tommy Tuck Rule’s retirement. 

“I’m very sad” responded my fellow sports writer James Mertz, “He was my favorite player, he brought me three Super Bowls.” Mertz—of course—is a Patriot fan. James has fond memories of Mr.Brady due to his New England Patriots fanfare, but being as we are in New York, I know some fans that do not share the same good memories of Tom Brady.

Stephen Sigalas—a student at BHS and a fan of the New York Jets—explains that he “never really got to enjoy watching Tom Brady because everyone always hated him.” Obviously, the Jets were a main casualty of Tom Brady’s incredible football prowess. However, a true American football fan can always recognize and respect greatness…especially when it comes to the undebated greatest quarterback of all time, so Sigalas finished by saying, “now that he is gone people will start to realize how [important he was]” and that “it is really sad to see the best player ever in football walk away from the game…he will be missed by the NFL dearly.” 

Of course, sadness is shared for other reasons…Mr.Malossi—the commander and chief of The Eagles Cry—was unfortunate to hear the news about Tampa Tom’s retirement because it made him feel old, or as he put it, “I’m a little depressed about it…he’s the last guy who’s my age in professional sports.”

This is also why Brady’s retirement is important. This feels like the end of an era for NFL fans. The golden age of quarterbacks that contained the Mannings, Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, etc. is coming to a close. We are an Aaron Rodgers retirement away from this era being completely finished. 

A little side-note. The last time Brady said he was retiring, he lied. It is very possible that Brady comes back despite his cries he is “retiring for good”. BHS student Tyler Wodick says he “wouldn’t be surprised if he came back” and judging off last time, I wouldn’t be surprised either.

If this is truly the end…for me and every student in Bethpage High School, we don’t know an NFL that doesn’t contain Tom Brady. The G.O.A.T. has left us today, and as a Packers fan, I don’t know how to feel. All I know is that while the future looks bright for the quarterback position, it will never be the same. Whether you loved him or hated him during his time on the field, there is no denying that the retirement of Tom Brady is a sad day for all sports fans.