Tom Brady announced his retirement from American football in late January. He started his career
\nin 2000, when the New York Patriots selected him as the 199th overall choice, in the sixth round of the
\nNFL Draft.<\/p>\n
The quarterback played more than twenty years in this major league. He embodies the first part of
\nthe 21st century, sportively speaking. As many sportsmen, he has been here for decades, and that has
\nhad an impact on many generations.<\/p>\n
Some fans watched him at the beginning of his career, throwing his first touchdown pass against
\nSan Diego, on October 14th, 2001. They saw him winning his first Super Bowl, during his first
\nseason as starter. Some other fans began to watch NFL thanks to Tom Brady. All these people lived
\nso many years as Tom Brady was playing each week, from September to February.<\/p>\n
He’s undoubtedly one of the most successful athletes of all time. And we had the chance to see him
\nplay during so many years. In many sports, there is an all-time great, called G.O.A.T. ie. Greatest
\nOf All Time. During the last twenty years we witnessed some of them in most sports.<\/p>\n
For example, Usain Bolt retired a few years ago. Now, another member of this generation is
\nretired. All these athletes from this generation are at least in their late thirties. Those who have seen
\nsuch legends practicing their sport aren’t going to forget them. They will remember them ’till their
\ndeath.<\/p>\n
Every fan has begun to follow a sport thanks to a club or thanks to a player. Growing up, a child has
\ninevitably a favorite player. That doesn’t depend on the generation. For the older NFL fans, it has
\nbeen Joe Montana or Brett Favre. For a twenty(or thirty)-year-old fan, that icon may be Tom Brady.
\nAnd for the next generation, their favorite player will surely be Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow.
\nThis phenomenon is visible in every sport. Each generation has its sports heroes, and these
\nsportsmen are unique.<\/p>\n
Messi and Ronaldo have a different fanbase. But every fan shares the same feeling: for them, they
\nare the best of the last decade. Whether it’s Ronaldo or Messi, it doesn’t matter. They make their
\nfans dream. Like other sportsmen, they aren’t only sports legends, they are also role models.
\nWe keep telling ourselves: \u201cthere won’t be anyone like Brady\u201d, \u201cthere won’t be anyone like
\nFederer\u201d. But the fact is that every generation is worried about the next one. Before Brady, there
\nwas Montana. After Brady, there is Mahomes. And there will be another one like Mahomes in the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n