Tom Brady -NFL - Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Seattle Seahawks
Tom Brady walking off the field. Reuters

KEY POINTS

  • Tom Brady has announced that he is now a minority owner of the Las Vegas Aces
  • It effectively ends any rumors that Brady is looking to play in the NFL ever again
  • The Aces captured their first WNBA title this past season

If there are any doubts that legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady has fully retired from his on-field life, him becoming a minority owner of WNBA franchise Las Vegas Aces should put such thoughts to rest.

In a minute-long Twitter video, Brady confirmed him becoming a part of the ownership group.

"I'm excited to announce [that] I'm gonna be part of the Las Vegas Aces organization. It was a matter of time before I was back in the building with some of the greatest athletes in the world and I grew up with three older sisters. They were all incredible athletes in their own right," Brady said in his statement.

"I admire all the work the Aces players and staff and what the WNBA continues to do to grow the sport and to empower the future generations of female athletes. I'm ready to contribute in any way possible as a member of such a great organization. What an honor."

Brady's NFL career came to a screeching halt after his Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round to a score of 31-14, prompting fans to wonder whether his retirement following the 2022 season was worth it.

On February 1, Brady took to social media that he was retiring "for good" this time around and even made do with this statement by filing his retirement papers with the NFL and NFL Players Association (NFLPA) on February 10–thus making him eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame beginning in 2028.

As for the Aces, it only took the relatively new franchise to experience the heights of WNBA basketball when they successfully claimed the WNBA title this past season for the first time in its long history that dates back to 1997 as the Utah Starzz.

Las Vegas was dominant in its run to the top of the WNBA landscape as they took down the Connecticut Sun in four games while having failed to do so in their only previous attempt–that being in 2008 against the Detroit Shock when the Aces were still known as the San Antonio Silver Stars.

The 2022 WNBA season also marked the first season of former San Antonio Spurs assistant coach and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame finalist Becky Hammon as a full-time head coach.

"Tom Brady is a win not only for the Aces, and the WNBA, but for women's professional sports as a whole," Aces owner Mark Davis said about Brady's involvement as quoted by ESPN.

Though there are no details publicly available yet regarding Brady's stake and how involved he will be, having Brady as a minority owner brings nothing but positives to the franchise.

Las Vegas Aces, WNBA
NFL icon Tom Brady (left) greets Las Vegas Aces guards Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray before a game as team owner Mark Davis (background) looks on. Pioneer Camp Group/Twitter