With one of the most accomplished and storied careers in NFL history, the logical next step for Tom Brady is the NFL Hall of Fame.
Brady is guaranteed to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but this begs the question: when is he eligible for the esteemed honor?
When Can Tom Brady Get Inducted Into Hall of Fame?
Shortly after Brady announced his retirement, the Pro Football Hall of Fame took to social media shortly after Brady’s announcement to clarify when he would be eligible.
“Should this morning’s retirement announcement truly be the end of Tom Brady’s illustrious career, 2028 is a year worth noting.”
Brady will officially be eligible to enter the Hall of Fame in 2028. A quick look at the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s website helps clarify why 2028 will be the year for Brady.
According to the HOF, football players are not deemed eligible until they’ve been inactive for five consecutive seasons. With Brady officially retiring in 2023, that makes 2028 the magical number.
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If Brady decides to once again lace up his cleats, that will simply push back the inevitable even further. However, Brady seemed pretty certain that he’s done playing.
“I’m retiring. For good,” Brady said. “I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning, I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first.
“I won’t be long-winded. You only get one super-emotional retirement essay, and I used mine up last year. So, really thank you guys so much to every single one of you for supporting me, my family, my friends, my teammates, my competitors. I can go on forever — there’s too many. Thank you, guys, for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I wouldn’t change a thing. Love you all.”
Who Else Could Be Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2028?
As of right now, there is one other name that will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2028. That would be J.J. Watt, who retired around the same time. Like Brady, Watt is all but guaranteed to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Watt and Brady are the two names that everyone will be looking for in 2028, but there are a few other players from 2027 who might still be available that year. One name that stands out is tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Now, Gronk can be inducted in 2027 when he is first eligible, so it’s possible he enters then. However, how amazing would it be for the two long-time teammates and friends to enter the HOF together? Perhaps Gronk can push back his induction by one year.
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We know Gronk and Brady are close, with the former coming out of retirement to rejoin Brady for another Super Bowl run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Given their history and relationship, would Gronk waiting for Brady really be that big of a surprise?
Tom Brady’s Career Stats
The one-of-a-kind QB is at the top of almost every career passing record, while also holding a number of single-season passing records.
Brady is the NFL leader for the following stats, according to Statmuse:
- Completions (regular season)
- Completions (postseason)
- Passing yards (regular season)
- Passing yards (postseason)
- Touchdowns (regular season)
- Touchdowns (postseason)
- Wins (regular season)
- Wins (postseason)
More importantly than all the individual accolades, Brady also has the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history with seven. He has been to 10 total Super Bowls and has won the Super Bowl MVP award five times.
Just for fun, Brady also holds the record for the most Pro Bowl appearances at 15.