Much has been made of legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady’s second retirement, which he announced on Wednesday morning. He says he’s retiring” “for good,” but whether his word is actually good remains to be seen.
But for now, Brady goes down as the undisputed best to ever play the quarterback position, spending 20+ seasons in the NFL and winning seven combined Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Truly grateful on this day. Thank you 🙏🏻❤️ pic.twitter.com/j2s2sezvSS
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) February 1, 2023
He also holds quite the baseball distinction, too. Yes, Tom Brady retires from football as the last active Montreal Expo. Well, the last active professional athlete to be drafted by them, that is.
Tom Brady was the last active connection to the Montreal Expos
The 45-year-old legend was selected as a catcher out of the University of Michigan in 1995 by the then-Expos (now the Washington Nationals) in the 18th round. Brady, of course, declined the opportunity and instead pursued what would become a lucrative career in football. Good choice? Good choice.
Even if Brady never stepped on a diamond for the Expos, it’s still fascinating to think that his farewell to the NFL also includes a farewell to a part of baseball history.
The Montreal Expos were never all that good during their existence, but since reincarnating as the Washington Nationals, they’ve won a World Series title (2019) and were one of baseball’s dominant forces during a seven-year span from 2012-2019. One championship obviously pales in comparison to Brady’s seven, though, and we’ll never know if his winning ways would’ve translated to sustained success for the Expos/Nats had he opted to become their next catcher.
One thing we know for sure? Tom Brady’s retirement leaves behind the last trace of the Montreal Expos and a legacy greater than we’ll ever see again in the sport of American football.