Tom Brady is all about Tom Brady

This is a man who appears to have everything: fame, fortune, seven Super Bowl wins, plus a loving family. Yet, he still craves an eighth Super Bowl ring. Beyond that — he also craved a dramatic pseudo-exit and equally dramatic reentry, which came at Kevin Garnett’s expense.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady watches the scoreboard from the sidelines during a 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in an NFL divisional playoff game, on Jan. 23 in Tampa.Alex Menendez/Associated Press

Kevin Garnett’s retired No. 5 had barely made it to the TD Garden rafters when the former Celtic’s story of competitive greatness and commitment to excellence was eclipsed by a bigger story: Tom Brady’s announcement that he’s un-retiring, after a mere 40 days.

“These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands,” the legendary quarterback, who left the New England Patriots to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, wrote on Twitter. “That time will come. But it’s not now.” Having cut professional ties with the New England sports world, maybe Brady didn’t know it was Garnett’s big moment; or maybe he just didn’t care. Either way, his timing gave the impression that, at 44, Tom Brady is all about Tom Brady — and all about keeping his identity as the greatest quarterback of all time in the present tense, not the past.

He’s not the first or last person to define themselves by work while dreading retirement and the threat of obscurity that goes with it. “I used to be someone,” a former politician told me the other day, half-jokingly, half-mournfully. Clearly, Brady does not want to be in that “used to be someone” category.

Given the consensus that he still has the athletic skill and competitive drive to do the job he loves, why not continue? Still, the sequence of Brady’s February announcement that he was hanging up his cleats, followed quickly by rumors that he really wasn’t leaving football, followed by Sunday night’s tweet about a triumphant return, felt contrived and a little sad. This is a man who appears to have everything: fame, fortune, seven Super Bowl wins, plus a loving family. Yet, he still craves an eighth Super Bowl ring in a sport that puts him at great risk of bodily injury. Beyond that, he also craved a dramatic pseudo-exit and equally dramatic reentry, which came at Garnett’s expense.

Of course, whatever attention Brady gets is determined by the media. After Brady’s tweet, social media exploded with “wows” and other expressions of shock and awe. For a time, at least on Twitter, Brady’s announcement even seemed to overshadow the ongoing horror in Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelensky — also 44 — is fighting for his country’s survival. Brady’s return was a diversion from something too terrible to contemplate — a war that’s annihilating cities, towns, and the people who live in them. Locally, Brady’s news also diverted attention from Garnett, and that’s too bad.

Kevin Garnett placed his hand on his chest while seated in front of an NBA Championship trophy during ceremonies held to retire his jersey number on Sunday.Steven Senne/Associated Press

I’m no expert on basketball or Garnett. But during my pandemic-induced quest for entertainment, I watched the Showtime documentary “Kevin Garnett: Anything Is Possible,” which tells the story of his remarkable journey and legacy. He was the first high school player to be drafted by the NBA in 20 years. While playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, he became a superstar. But it wasn’t until he came to the Boston Celtics that he became a champion, by helping the team win the 2008 title.

As a player, Garnett was known for his grit, unvarnished emotion, and commitment to greatness. During Sunday night’s celebration of his number being retired — which I watched on TV — he was passionate, funny, profane, and very real. His intensity as a player is saluted by teammates, coaches, and fans; yet during a Q. and A. with former Celtic teammate Brian Scalabrine, Garnett was also asked how he controlled that intensity. Garnett acknowledged he had to learn “to control the energy. Nobody tells you how to use your superpower.” Did anyone, including Brady, ever think his intensity needed to be checked, whether he was tossing a football into the end zone or a tablet on the sidelines? Intensity may be viewed differently when it comes packaged in a nearly seven-foot-tall Black basketball player like Garnett versus a white quarterback like Brady.

Garnett retired from the NBA in 2016. At 45, he has the peace and satisfaction that comes with recognition of past glories. As he turns 45, Brady has every right to seek future glory. But the next time he retires shouldn’t be a big deal — to anyone but Brady.