TAMPA BAY, Fla. - Tom Brady officially announced his retirement from the NFL after a whirlwind of reports over the weekend speculating on the storied quarterback's future in the league.

Brady, 44, made the announcement official with posts on social media thanking his teammates and his family Tuesday morning. He played in the NFL for 22 seasons. 

Tom Brady officially retires. Among his posts… pic.twitter.com/o9GqgRKsoO

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 1, 2022

His posts on Twitter and Instagram put an end to days of conjecture that kicked off Saturday when ESPN cited multiple sources saying Brady did not plan to return to the NFL next season. Several people in Brady's inner circle, including his father, refuted the report and claimed the future hall-of-famer had not yet made a decision on retirement. 

He retires a seven-time Super Bowl champion, with more total wins than any other player in NFL history. Six of his championships came during his 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, with his last title coming after his 2020 season in Tampa Bay. 

Brady played his final game just over a week ago when the Los Angeles Rams defeated him and the Buccaneers, 30-27, with a walk-off field goal in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs.

His retirement comes on the heel of longtime Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's exit from the NFL last week and just over a year after legendary Saints quarterback Drew Brees played his final NFL game against Brady's Buccaneers.