FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2016, file photo, New England Patriots' Tom Brady (12), Rob Gronkowski (87) and James Develin (46) head back to the sideline after LeGarrette Blount scored a touchdown during the second half of the team's NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y. Gronkowski says he is retiring from the NFL after nine seasons. Gronkowski announced his decision via a post on Instagram Sunday, March 24, 2019, saying that a few months shy of this 30th birthday “its time to move forward and move forward with a big smile.” (AP Photo/Bill Wippert, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2016, file photo, New England Patriots' Tom Brady (12), Rob Gronkowski (87) and James Develin (46) head back to the sideline after LeGarrette Blount scored a touchdown during the second half of the team's NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y. Gronkowski says he is retiring from the NFL after nine seasons. Gronkowski announced his decision via a post on Instagram Sunday, March 24, 2019, saying that a few months shy of this 30th birthday “its time to move forward and move forward with a big smile.” (AP Photo/Bill Wippert, File)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Don’t. Even. Joke.

New England Patriots fans who forgot that Monday is April Fools’ Day might have been panicking when quarterback Tom Brady tweeted that he had decided to retire.

The six-time Super Bowl champion has joined Twitter and his first post said simply: “I’m retiring. In my spare time, I’ll be tweeting.” An email from a Twitter spokeswoman confirmed the account, but it also referred to the fact that the tweet came on April Fools’ Day.

About an hour later, Brady sent out a second tweet that said, “Was this a bad joke?”

Brady is a 41-year-old, three-time NFL MVP who has to stop playing some time. But after leading New England to the title last year, there’s no indication that he’s slowing down.

ADVERTISEMENT

And anyway, is this how he would announce it?

Even tight end Rob Gronkowski, who actually retired last month, did so with a lengthy Instagram post.

Neither Brady’s agent nor the Patriots immediately responded to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment.

___

More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL