Tom Brady says on Instagram he was 'about to unretire' in 2023

Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says he almost unretired -- again -- last year.

He made the comments in an Instagram post reflecting on 2023.

"The only downside to 2023 was when I was about to unretire in May and my friends threw a surprise retirement party. Kind of forced my hand," he said.

Brady will be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in June.

• RELATED: Tom Brady raises possibility of coming out of retirement to fill Aaron Rodgers' position on the Jets

In his post, Brady said he's looking forward to what's next in his life. He said he's blessed to be surrounded by family and friends filled with love and joy.

"Hug your kids, call your parents, tell your friends that you love them, and let’s all help make 2024 a kinder and happier year for everyone in our lives," Brady said.

Brady announced his retirement "for good" from the NFL on Feb. 1, 2023, after 20 seasons with the Patriots and three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He intially announced his retirement in 2022, but 40 days later said he would rejoin the Bucs.

Brady won seven Super Bowls in his career.