Tom Brady would like to say a few more words. Or perhaps someone suggested he should.
Brady raised eyebrows Tuesday when his lengthy NFL retirement announcement didn't include a single mention of the New England Patriots, his football home for 20 years. The 44-year-old posted a second message to Instagram and Twitter on Thursday, however, and the Patriots are prominently featured.
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Brady still didn't reference the Patriots in his caption, but the one-minute video includes plenty of highlights from his days in Foxboro (as well as some recent Tampa Bay Buccaneers footage) and features his comments from last October about how much the New England region means to him.
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Here's the longer caption Brady shared on Instagram:
As I look back on my career in football, the memories we have made, and the relationships we have built are by far the most meaningful. Yes, the scoreboard was important, but the toughest times always taught me the most important lessons.
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I am grateful to the people that stood with me through every high and low, win and loss, and the memories we created TOGETHER. Memories that won’t ever fade.
I played for the name on the front of my jersey and the name on the back of my jersey. I played for my friends, my family, and our community - every single one of you - that have given me what I have today.
I love you all. Thank you ALL for making this incredible journey possible.
A cynic may wonder if Brady emphasized "ALL" at the end of his post as a response to the blowback he's received from Patriots fans -- and apparently team owner Robert Kraft -- about omitting the team in his initial farewell. Maybe this is Brady's way of saying, "I thanked you, Patriots fans. Happy now?"
The seven-time Super Bowl champion did give the Patriots a social media shout-out later Tuesday, however, and threw Bill Belichick a bouquet Wednesday night after the head coach lauded his legendary career.
So, perhaps most is forgiven between the quarterback and the franchise after they parted ways in 2020. Or perhaps Brady felt the need to do a little damage control. Most likely, it's some combination of both.