Tom Brady Feels 'Gratitude' Despite Season-Ending Playoff Loss and Retirement Talk

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Tom Brady is focusing on the present amid ongoing retirement rumors.

The NFL quarterback, 44, refused to discuss his future while reflecting on the 2021 season following a playoff loss to Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion thanked his Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates and fans in an Instagram post alongside a series of images from the season.

"I understand that at this stage in my career, there is going to be interest in my future whenever a season ends," he wrote. "But this week, all that is on my mind is the gratitude I have for this team and the fans that have supported us all year long."

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"This year has been incredibly rewarding personally and professionally and I am appreciative of everyone who worked their ass off to help our team achieve so much," he added.

Brady also addressed the Buccaneers' loss in the NFC divisional round.

"I always want to win, I think that's pretty apparent by now, but that doesn't mean I equate losing to failure, especially when you go out fighting the way we did," he shared. "There's so much to appreciate in a season like this when you're surrounded by a team that believes in each other, and plays for the people standing on either side of them."

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He concluded, "To everyone that was a part of it this year, thank you. I love you all!"

In a post-game press conference on Sunday, Brady also refused to address the possibility of retirement.

"I haven't put a lot of thought into it. So, we'll just take it day by day and kind of see where we're at," he said at the time.

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"Truthfully guys, I'm thinking about this game," he added of the 30-27 loss. "I'm not thinking about anything past five minutes from now."

On Monday's episode of his SiriusXM podcast Let's Go!, the athlete said he's in "no rush to figure out what's next" and plans to spend time with his family this off-season.

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Speculation has grown over the last several weeks that the star athlete — who has one year left in his contract with the Buccaneers — is nearing the end of his career. Brady was drafted in 2000 and spent 20 seasons with the New England Patriots before making his Buccaneers debut in 2020.