Getty Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady celebrate a touchdown at Atlanta.
Tom Brady offered one last hurrah for Rob Gronkowski and Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates before getting back to work.
Brady won the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year award on Tuesday, Dec. 7, for the second time in his career. Gronkowski introduced Brady for the award ceremony with some typical Gronk humor, referencing that Brady was picked 199th in the 2000 NFL Draft.
“2021’s winner is someone really near and dear to me. He’s actually old enough to be my grandpa,” Gronkowski said jokingly. “He’s been playing football since this award started in 1954. Truly incredible. If he keeps going, they’re gonna have to lock him in one of those Florida old age homes with my grandma.”
“Thanks for warming up the crowd @Gronk,” Brady wrote on Instagram.
Brady also thanked the Bucs organization for making the award possible.
“I’m so honored to have been named the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year last night,” Brady wrote. “Without the people around me none of this is possible. Everyday I go to work in a building filled with teammates, coaches and staff that put their individual motivations aside to make sure we can accomplish our greater goals as a TEAM. Every single one of them has contributed to my success and this award belongs to all of us.”
Brady couldn’t gush forever, as he refocused on another big December for football.
“That’s enough patting ourselves on the back for now though, we’ve got another Super Bowl run to get ready for,” Brady exclaimed.
Rare Air for Brady
Brady became only the third athlete ever to win Sportsperson of the Year, joining Lebron James and Tiger Woods. Brady won his first in 2005 after leading the New England Patriots to back-to-back Super Bowl wins.
🏆 SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR ROYALTY 🏆
Only 3 athletes have earned SI’s most prestigious award multiple times:
• LeBron James (2012, 2016, 2020)
• Tom Brady (2005, 2021)
• Tiger Woods (1996, 2000)
James won it three times in 2012, 2016, and 2020 while Woods won it in 1996 and 2000. Though both displayed longevity in their careers, none of those awards came in their 40s.
MVP Pace for Brady
Brady defied time this year in leading the Bucs to a Super Bowl LV win and won the game’s MVP award to kick off 2021. Since, he’s been on a blistering pace to win the regular season MVP. He leads the league in a multitude of passing categories with 508 attempts, 347 completions, 3,771 yards, 195 first down passes, and 34 touchdowns.
Imagine being a Tom Brady hater 😂 it’s gotta be hell on earth. This is your NFL MVP ladies and gents. A 44 year old is embarrassing QBs half his age 🐐
Before the season, no quarterback in NFL history did much to write about at age 44. Former NFL quarterbacks Vinney Testaverde and Steve DeBerg played a little at that age.
“I’d say there are parts of me that are 55, and I think there’s parts of me that are 25,” Brady told Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim. “What parts? I think I’m wise beyond my years. I think I’ve had a lot of life experience packed into 44 years. When I go through the tunnel and onto the field? Probably mid-30s — and I’ve got to work really hard to feel good. It’s a demolition derby every Sunday. I feel 25 when I’m in the locker room with the guys. Which is probably why I still do it.”
With that said, Brady could go a while longer as he hasn’t publicly committed to when he will retire from the NFL.