How long was Tom Brady retired from the NFL?

Tom Brady is back for his 23rd season in the NFL. For a very short time, it seemed he had truly made up his mind not to return at all.

Unless a fan has been living under a rock all this while, Tom Brady retired after the conclusion of last season, but he reversed his decision not long after. He has decided to come back because he believes he still has "unfinished business."

That the seven-time Super Bowl winner believes he still has more left to achieve is a scary prospect, if you are his opponent, but it is a cause for celebration if you are a real football fan.

So, how long did Tom Brady stay retired? Read on to find out more.

Tom Brady was only retired for 40 days

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Tom Brady announced his retirement on February 1st, a week after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were knocked out by eventual Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family and pursue other interests outside football and chose to draw a line under his career. It was understandable, given he will be turning 45 this year.

But 40 days later, on the 13th of March, Tom Brady decided to return to his first interest and love: football. Those who saw him last season would not have been surprised. After all, this is a player who finished top among quarterbacks for most yards and touchdowns last season and is at the peak of his powers.

In the process, he may just have added a record for the shortest retirement in sports history. A part of us even wants to assume that, given that he pretty much holds the record for everything in football, he wanted to add this record for good measure as well. He did not miss a single game during his retirement. He did not miss a single practice session either.

To put it into perspective, here's how short his retirement was compared to another significant announcement. The Green Bay Packers announced that Aaron Rodgers will be returning to play another season with them 45 days after they were eliminated from the playoffs by the San Francisco 49ers.

It seems Brady just cannot stay away from football, and he will be returning more motivated than ever before, if that is at all possible.

He will be looking to add another Lombardi Trophy to the seven he already has and possibly have another shot at winning the NFL MVP award that he narrowly missed out on last season.

It promises to be a fascinating watch for fans, and some sorry teams may just get left in his wake.