The news of Tom Brady’s potential retirement sent shockwaves across the sports world. Brady is a true legend in the NFL and is the most successful entity in the history of the sport. Brady is the only player in American team sports that has won more championships than any other franchise.
Brady’s retirement is not set in stone, as he is still mulling over the decision. But this has not stopped fans from debating.
One debate that seems to have heated up again is that of which athlete is the greatest of all time. Bleacher Report asked fans who is the best ever, with Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali, Lionel Messi, Michael Phelps, Jackie Robinson, Selena Williams, Simone Biles, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Usain Bolt all as potential options.
If this is it for Tom Brady, who are you taking? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/zqBgFSPA8V
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 30, 2022
Sports fans debated over the answer to this question. Many fans suggested that there is no one individual athlete who holds that title, and each sport has its own greatest ever. Whereas others suggested names like Jordan, Brady, Messi, and Williams, among others, as the best to ever do it.
https://twitter.com/Bron_Brow23/status/1487824927147261952
I wouldn’t have him on my list but If we are talking about overall impact him and russel are the goats
— bobby bobson (@bobbybo24995869) January 30, 2022
— Canale (@estebancanale) January 30, 2022
https://twitter.com/KougarW/status/1487837641001385984
Not even close tbh. Messi, Ronaldo, Phelps. Are all better
— bobby bobson (@bobbybo24995869) January 30, 2022
Jim Thorpe is my goat. There are so many Thorpe stories that are just crazy. Dude qualified for the Olympic sprinting team wearing 2 different sized shoes and blue jeans…
— Zach🦌🧀🍺 (@zach4422) January 30, 2022
https://twitter.com/RicoCarlos7/status/1487822173649743874
For male and female GOATS
⬇️⬇️⬇️ Menhttps://t.co/BHe8om3Blu
— Thobi thə gərman diə-hard Patriots fan (@MrGIF4479) January 30, 2022
https://twitter.com/KayJayA7X/status/1487980507287592962
— 🇧🇷 (@applehendrick) January 30, 2022
I can make a strong argument (and win actually) that Pele, Ronaldo, Messi and Maradona were A LOT more impactful than Jordan on the global scale. I get that you're American so you'll look at it from a US pov but I'm sorry you just can't make statements like that.
— V4r (@ManLikeAlex831) January 30, 2022
In all honesty, there can never be an answer to this question. Given the divisive nature of sports, most people will always continue to debate who is the best ever. More so, fans will try to tear down some other athletes in order to further the cause for their own personal favorites.
Each sport has its own elite talent, who will be considered the best to ever do it. And there are fans who consider one sport particularly harder than the other. And that is what they will use to further their argument for why any particular athlete is the best to ever do it. There is no denying that the names mentioned above are amazing, and all of them will be remembered as pioneers and trailblazers for their respective sports.
