Saying Goodbye To 12

Tom Brady briefly hung around to shake hands after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers slaughtering at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys, before escaping to the locker room.

He tipped his hat to the crowd, thanked his family for coming, and disappeared into the tunnel for the final time.

As the red and white 12 on the back of his jersey faded into unknown, the surrounding conversation would turn on Brady, mocking him for his poor performance and Ignoring his solidified legacy.

He is the greatest of all time. No one can come close to his accolades, stats and records. Those criticizing him pretended his prior performances were invisible. The surrounding discourse refused to appreciate Brady while he still graced our TV screens. We had become a prisoner of the moment instead of appreciating his prior 21 seasons.

Tampa Bay's record was anything but impressive. The Buccaneers won a playoff spot with a disappointing record of eight wins and nine losses, thanks to an awful division.

The offence went from an electric, field-flipping, pass-heavy attack into an unsurprising, dink-and-dunk snooze fest. Brady was scared to get hit, another sign that his age was affecting him. His box scores were regularly dispiriting.

The Buccaneers were average, and so was Brady. It was clear that he was finally slowing down.

So was this Buccaneer's season a success?

On paper, it was a historic failure. Yet this season was a chance for Brady to settle any unfinished business. He still had a year left on his contract with Tampa Bay, fulfilling his original commitment to the organization. He broke any records that still alluded his resume, and he achieved the ultimate goal he set for himself ten years earlier: play until age 45.

Being competent at 42 was perceived to be impossible. Yet, last year Brady was voted the best player in the NFL by his fellow competitors. Not only was he competent, but he was elite, shattering barriers that seemed unbreakable. He would complete what might be his most improbable accomplishment, defying his age and defeating Father Time.

So as the season screeched to a probable conclusion, it was clear that Brady would not return to Tampa Bay.

In his final press conference, he thanked the media and seemed content with a change of scenery. All attention turned to where he might play next.

Would he be returning to New England? Highly unlikely with the way he was treated at the end of his tenure.

Would he head to Las Vegas and move further away from his fractured family? Doubt it.

The 49ers had a disappointing end to the season and an injured quarterback. Could he head back to his hometown?

But as Brady released a short farewell video, It was evident that the fire burning bright in Brady's eyes for 22 seasons was gone. There was nothing left to accomplish. He was finally finished. Brady's greatest asset, his drive to be great, was satisfied. As he got emotional, thanking his teammates, family and opponents, it was clear there would be no un-retirement this time. Brady would ride into the sunset, and finish his career, as the greatest athlete to ever live.

Reflecting on Brady's career, I remember all his impossible game-winning drives. The camera catching him leaning forward on the bench, with a blank look in his eyes, knowing that his famous comeback was just moments away. His undying belief that no matter what, his team would emerge victorious.

As other sporting legends continue to break records, like Lebron James and the scoring title in the NBA, it's a reminder that we should appreciate the greatness they have produced instead of comparing and criticizing their few failures.

Brady's final season will be considered a blemish in an almost perfect career. Just like Mike Tyson's and Muhammad Ali's final five fights. Or Michael Jordan's last two seasons as a Washington Wizard. Very few all-timers have retired at the right time. That is no coincidence. They are wired differently. They are dependent on the game they play. And the game they play is dependent on them. Boxing hasn't been the same since Tyson retired. Basketball ratings plunged when Jordan stepped away. And now, as Brady fades out of our lives, it will be interesting to see if the GOAT-sized hole will ever be filled.

Instead of criticizing Brady's final season, let's step back and appreciate the greatest athlete to ever live. Because there will never be a competitor quite like Thomas Edward Patrick Brady, Jr.