Happy Wednesday, folks!
Before we get too far into things, we have some breaking news to handle: the Washington Football Team is now the Washington Commanders! I've written before that almost any name would be an upgrade over "Football Team," and, while Commanders wasn't my favorite option, it's perfectly fine. Now if the Commanders can start winning some games and command some respect, that would be great.
Ok, now that that's out of the way, let's get right to the rest of this morning's news.
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Good morning to everyone but especially to...
Getty ImagesTOM BRADY
What's long been expected became official yesterday: Tom Brady has retired. The legendary quarterback announced he's calling it a career in a lengthy Instagram post, saying in part:
Brady: "I have always believed the sport of football is an 'all-in' proposition -- if a 100% competitive commitment isn't there, you won't succeed, and success is what I love so much about our game. There is a physical, mental, and emotional challenge EVERY single day that has allowed me to maximize my highest potential. And I have tried my very best these past 22 years."The fact that Brady had the competitive fire and the willingness to put in the work not just in-season but also for the eight-month offseason for over two decades is nearly as remarkable as his long list of accomplishments. Still, that list still bears repeating:
22 seasons7 Super Bowls5 Super Bowl MVPs3 MVPsPretty much every regular-season, playoff and Super Bowl record for quarterbacks, all of which you can see hereI shared most of my thoughts in Monday's newsletterand the major ones are: there are no holes in Brady's resume, and his longevity is stunning. When he won his first Super Bowl, he became the youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl, and when he won his last Super Bowl, he became the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
Or, to put it another way, en route to his first Super Bowl, Brady beat Antoine Winfield and the Bills twice in the regular season. Brady won his last Super Bowl as a teammate of Antoine Winfield Jr.
Our team of NFL reporters has put together a ton of great stuff, including...
Of course, it's also a good morning for the rest of the NFL, which won't have to face Brady again, and an especially good morning to the five teams that never beat him.
Honorable mentions
And not such a good morning for...
THE GIANTS, BRONCOS AND DOLPHINS
Former Dolphins head coach and current head-coaching candidate Brian Flores is suing the Giants, Broncos, Dolphins and the NFL as a whole for racial discrimination. Among the key points of the lawsuit:
Bill Belichick texted Flores congratulating him on getting the Giants job ... before Flores even interviewed with New York. Belichick apparently had meant to text Brian Daboll, who later did get the job.Days later, Flores had to sit through a "sham interview," one he claims the Giants only conducted to comply with the NFL's Rooney Rule.Flores also claims he had another "sham interview" with the Broncos in 2019, when he says then-general manager John Elway, CEO Joe Ellis and others showed up late and hungover.Flores claims Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 for every loss in 2019 in a hope to improve the team's draft pick. He also says Ross improperly tampered with a "prominent quarterback" and that Flores was met with disdain when he didn't partake.The case also brings up several instances in which the Rooney Rule -- which requires that teams interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior operation positions -- was not implemented, among other issues.
The NFL released a statement regarding Flores' lawsuit, stating that his claims are "without merit."
