Tom Brady, the most successful quarterback in NFL history, announced on Wednesday that he is retiring from the sport he has dominated for years.

“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,” Brady said in a video on Twitter.

Brady’s ruthless commitment to winning was legendary and it was only in his final season that there were signs his skills had begun to diminish, although even then he passed for 4,694 yards, the third most in the NFL.

The 45-year-old’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a losing record – the first in Brady’s career as a starter – and only limped into the playoffs because the other teams in the NFC South were even worse.

He would go on to claim seven Super Bowl titles, three NFL MVP awards and nearly every significant quarterback record in league history.

Former New York Yankees star Derek Jeter, who dominated Major League Baseball in the same way Brady did the NFL, congratulated the quarterback “on an unbelievable career.