Tom Brady officially signs with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tom Brady is officially a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player as the free agency quarterback signed a multi-year contract, the NFL team announced Friday.

The 42-year-old is widely considered the greatest quarterback of all time and and had spent his entire NFL career – 20 seasons – with the New England Patriots, winning six of the nine Super Bowls he reached.

Tampa was one of the teams Brady was connected with after he announced his departure from the Patriots on Tuesday.

“Tom is a proven champion who has achieved greatness on the field because he demands the best out of himself and his teammates,” said Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht in a statement.

“I’ve known Tom since we drafted him in New England 20 years ago and through this process it became very clear that his desire to be a champion burns as strong today as it ever has.

“He possesses the type of rare natural leadership qualities that will immediately impact our entire organization.”

READ: Tom Brady says thank you and goodbye to New England Patriots

Tom Brady holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl win in February 2021.

Brady played college football at the University of Michigan. He started for the Wolverines in his junior and senior seasons, going 20-5.

Brady grew up in San Mateo, California, and played football, basketball and baseball before joining Michigan.

Despite his successful career at Michigan, Brady was not projected to be a star in the NFL. He was the 199th player taken in the NFL Draft. Many quarterbacks were taken before him.

Brady started his career backing up Drew Bledsoe. But when Bledsoe was hurt in September 2001, Brady got his chance to shine. He took over as starter and led the Patriots all the way to the Super Bowl.

Brady loses the ball after being hit by Oakland's Charles Woodson during an NFL playoff game in January 2002. The Patriots got the ball back and went on to win the game, but the controversial play was heavily debated in the offseason. The "tuck rule" was eventually repealed in 2013.

The 2001 season culminated in a Super Bowl victory for Brady and the Patriots in February 2002. They upset the heavily favored St. Louis Rams 20-17. Brady was named Super Bowl MVP, and he became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He was 24.

Brady and the Patriots were back in the Super Bowl in 2004, winning another title over the Carolina Panthers. They repeated the next season with a Super Bowl win over Philadelphia.

Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick celebrate after a playoff win in January 2007. The two were together for Brady's entire Patriots career.

Brady throws a pass during a game in Cincinnati in October 2007.

Brady is surrounded by the media in 2007. The Patriots went undefeated in the regular season but lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck strips the ball from Brady during the Super Bowl in February 2008.

Brady leaves the field in 2012 after another Super Bowl loss to the Giants.

Brady kisses his mother, Galynn, after the Patriots defeated Seattle for their fourth Super Bowl title in February 2015.

An opposing fan taunts Brady as he takes the field in August 2015. Brady was eventually suspended four games over the "Deflategate" controversy, which involved allegations that the Patriots purposely deflated balls to gain an advantage on offense in an AFC Championship game.

Brady runs onto the field before a game in September 2015.

Brady drops back to pass during a game against Dallas in October 2015.

Brady arrives at a federal court to appeal his suspension for "Deflategate."

Brady is tackled by Denver's Aqib Talib in the AFC Championship game in January 2016.

Brady raises the Vince Lombardi Trophy after leading the Patriots to their fifth Super Bowl victory in 2017. The Patriots were trailing 28-3 before pulling off the biggest Super Bowl comeback ever and winning in overtime.

Teammate Rob Gronkowski playfully steals Brady's jersey before a Boston Red Sox baseball game in April 2017. Brady had just had his Super Bowl jersey returned by authorities after it had been stolen from the locker room.

Brady and his wife, model Gisele Bundchen, attend the Met Gala in New York in 2018. The couple married in 2009.

Brady celebrates after an overtime win in January 2019 that put that Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Brady celebrates with his daughter, Vivian, and his wife, Gisele, after winning his sixth Super Bowl in 2019. In October 2022, Brady and Bundchen announced that they had divorced after 13 years of marriage.

Brady's last game with the Patriots was a playoff loss to Tennessee in January 2020.

Pro golfer Phil Mickelson reads a putt for Brady as they team up for a made-for-TV charity match in May 2020. Mickelson and Brady lost a close match to Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning.

Brady throws a pass during a game against Carolina in September 2020. Brady finished the regular season with 40 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions as the Buccaneers went 11-5.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees congratulates Brady after the Buccaneers defeated Brees' Saints in an NFL playoff game in January 2021. It was the first playoff game in NFL history to feature two starting quarterbacks in their 40s. Both players occupy the top two spots for many of the league's quarterback records.

Brady celebrates with his teammates in January 2021 after Tampa Bay defeated Green Bay to win the NFC and clinch a spot in the Super Bowl.

Brady celebrates at the end of the Buccaneers' win over Kansas City in Super Bowl LV. He was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

Brady throws the Vince Lombardi Trophy to teammates as they celebrate their title during a boat parade in Tampa, Florida, in February 2021.

President Joe Biden laughs at a joke made by Brady, who was visiting the White House along with his Tampa Bay teammates in July 2021. One of Brady's jokes was about those who continue to deny that Biden won the 2020 election. "Not a lot of people think that we could have won (the Super Bowl). In fact, I think about 40% of people still don't think we won. You understand that, Mr. President?" Brady said to laughter. Biden responded, "I understand that."

Brady runs off the field after the Buccaneers defeated his former team, the New England Patriots, in October 2021. It was Brady's first game back in New England since he left the franchise in 2020.

Brady throws a pass during a playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams in January 2022. The Rams eliminated the Buccaneers 30-27.

Brady celebrates after scoring a rushing touchdown against Carolina in January 2023. The Buccaneers clinched a postseason berth — and their second straight NFC South title — with a 30-24 win.

Brady walks off the field after a playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC Wild Card game in January 2023. The Cowboys won 31-14.

From left, "80 for Brady" director Kyle Marvin and cast members Rita Moreno, Brady, Sally Field, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda pose together at the Los Angeles premiere of the film in January 2023. The movie, which is based on a true story, follows a group of octogenarians who are hardcore Brady fans and travel to Super Bowl LI. "This could be Tom's last one; he's almost 40," Tomlin's character says in the trailer. "That's like 80 in people years."

In pictures: NFL legend Tom Brady

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‘Hungry’

Brady is almost unparallelled when it comes to the amount of records he has broken in the NFL.

His 219 regular season victories and 30 playoff wins are each the most by a quarterback in league history.

“Excited, humble and hungry … if there is one thing I have learned about football, it’s that nobody cares what you did last year or the year before that …you earn the trust and respect of those around through your commitment every single day,” Brady wrote on Instagram.

“I’m starting a new football journey and thankful for the Buccaneers for giving me an opportunity to do what I love to do.

“I have always believed that well done is better than well said, so I’m not gonna say much more – I’m just gonna get to work!”

Brady’s move to Tampa likely spells the end for current No. 1 quarterback Jameis Winston, winner of the 2013 Heisman Trophy.

Winston, the No.1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, led the Bucs to a 7-9 record last season.

He also became the first player in NFL history to throw 30 or more touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a season.

Winston became an unrestricted free agent Thursday.