Tom Brady first announced his retirement from the NFL in 2022. He made the announcement on February 1, 2022, after 22 seasons with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
That retirement lasted only 40 days. On March 13, 2022, Brady announced that he would return to Tampa Bay for the 2022 season, creating one of the most famous reversals in recent NFL history. He ultimately played the entire season before announcing his permanent retirement on February 1, 2023.
The common mix-up comes from the fact that Brady retired twice: his initial retirement was in 2022, while his final retirement was in 2023. Tampa Bay finished 8–9 in his last season and lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the wild-card round.