FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Don’t. Even. Joke.

New England Patriots fans who forgot that it’s April Fools’ Day might been panicking when quarterback Tom Brady tweeted on Monday 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.

I'm retiring. In my spare time, I'll be tweeting #LFG

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) April 1, 2019

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.

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 seeking comment.

• The Patriots signed tackle Cedrick Lang, adding some depth to their offensive line.

The 26-year-old spent last season on injured reserve with the Vikings. At 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds, Lang will be competing for a spot in a group that is looking to replace tackle Trent Brown after he signed with the Raiders in free agency.

BROWNS: Odell Beckham Jr. looked at quarterback Baker Mayfield seated to his left, Jarvis Landry to his right and Myles Garrett at the end of the dais.

“This can’t be real,” Beckham said, a tuft of bleached blond hair poking out from under his orange cap.

This was no April Fools’ Day joke. Welcome to Cleveland.

His drama-filled days in New York behind him, Beckham was introduced Monday by the Browns, whose acquisition of the former Giants star wide receiver has triggered wild expectations for a team that didn’t win one game two years ago.

Beckham said he was initially shocked by the blockbuster trade – Cleveland sent guard Kevin Zeitler, safety Jabrill Peppers and a first- and third-round pick this year to New York on March 12 for Beckham and edge rusher Olivier Vernon – but he has grown to embrace it over the past few weeks.

“I think I’ve come to grips with everything,” Beckham said, discussing his big change in an overflowing media room at the team’s headquarters. “It’ll be one of the best things that ever happened to me in my life.”

BEARS: Chicago is bringing back linebacker Aaron Lynch on a one-year contract.

The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Lynch made three starts and appeared in 13 games last season, his first in Chicago. He recorded three sacks, four tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits and one interception. He previously spent four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and has 18 career sacks and 53 quarterback hits.

CHIEFS-BROWNS TRADE: Kansas City acquired edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah from Cleveland in a swap for safety Eric Murray, who was originally drafted by current Browns General Manager John Dorsey.

STEELERS: Morgan Burnett’s injury-marred stay with Pittsburgh is over.

Pittsburgh released the veteran safety, just one season into a three-year, $14.5 million contract Burnett signed last March.

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