NFL: Tom Brady not to return to New England Patriots after 20 years, six Super Bowl titles

Tom Brady has ended his long-term association with New England Patriots that saw him win six Super Bowls while bagging the Super Bowl MVP four times and being crowned as the season MVP thrice.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady after Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams. Reuters file

He officially hits the league’s open market on Wednesday, but could reach an agreement with another team as early as Tuesday when players and clubs can negotiate deals.

Selected as the 199th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady has spent the entirety of his career with the Patriots. Brady's tenure with the Patriots is an NFL record for the longest time a quarterback has played for a single franchise.

In a statement on Twitter, titled "Forever a Patriot", Brady confirmed his departure.

The 42-year-old did not say what team he will sign with for the upcoming season.

"Although my football journey will take place elsewhere, I appreciate everything that we have achieved and am grateful for our incredible TEAM accomplishments," he wrote.

In recent few years, Brady had reiterated that his goal was to play until he was 45, but he and the Patriots couldn't come to an agreement on a contract extension. It paved way for Brady to explore his options as a free agent. During the 2019 season, he showed visible frustration at times and the offensively-challenged Patriots uncharacteristically lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs. He told an outlet that he was "open-minded about the process".

Patriots owner Robert Kraft told NBC Sports he hoped Brady would play in New England or retire.