20 things you might not have known about Tom Brady
- Tom Brady officially retired Wednesday as one of the best players in NFL history.
- At 44 years old, Brady stepped away from the gridiron with 7 Super Bowl rings and 5 SB MVP awards.
- Despite being one of the best-known players in the NFL, there are plenty of surprising facts about him.
Tom Brady is one of the greatest to ever do it.
And now, his NFL career is set in stone.
The legendary quarterback officially announced his retirement from the NFL Tuesday after 22 seasons, seven Super Bowl victories, and three NFL MVP awards. He will almost surely go down in history as the greatest quarterback in the history of professional football.
Despite all of his fame and success, there are still some things you may not know about one of sports' most prominent figures. So Insider assembled a list of 21 facts you may not know about Brady.
Check them out below:
1. Brady spent two years as a backup at the University of Michigan
Brady arrived in Ann Arbor as the seventh-string quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines. He spent two years backing up future NFL quarterback Brian Griese before winning the battle against Drew Henson to start under center during his junior season. Even after two successful years, Brady wasn't sure he would make it to the NFL, so he made a resumé as a backup plan.
2. He was famously taken with the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft
That's right: 198 players were selected in that year's draft class — including six other quarterbacks — before the New England Patriots took Brady in the 6th round, and it's safe to say it was the sleeper pick of the century.
Read more: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The first-round picks from Tom Brady's infamous 2000 NFL Draft
3. He has played in more Super Bowls than any other player in NFL history
Tom Brady appeared in 10 Super Bowls during his career — four more than any other player in NFL history.
Read more: The NFL quarterbacks who have played in and won the most Super Bowls
4. And he's won more Super Bowls than any other player — or any single NFL franchise
Tom Brady won seven Super Bowls in his 22 seasons. The New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers each have won six.
5. He also won more than any other quarterback in the regular season
Read more: Tom Brady is the NFL's all-time winningest regular-season quarterback
6. Brady is one of the highest paid players in NFL history
Brady earned nearly $300 million in his NFL career, good enough to make him one of the highest-paid players in the league's history. He also made millions each year through endorsement deals with companies like Under Armour, Intel, Beats by Dre, and Shields.
7. But he still made less money than his now ex-wife
Brady's earnings may sound enormous, but they're nothing compared to his ex-wife's. Gisele Bündchen, to whom he was married for 13 years, was the world's top-earning supermodel for 10 consecutive years and is reportedly on pace to make $1 billion in career earnings.
8. Brady has two sons and a daughter
Three months into his relationship with Gisele, Brady learned that his ex-girlfriend was pregnant with his child. In addition to his eldest son, Jack, Brady and Bündchen went on to have a son, Benny, and a daughter, Vivian.
- Read more:
- A look inside the marriage of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bündchen
- Top athletes and their furry friends: the 55 best pets in the world of sports
- GISELE BÜNDCHEN AND TOM BRADY: How the supermodel-quarterback power couple makes and spends their millions
9. He has kept a very strict diet, and it's unclear whether Brady will stick to it in retirement
Brady's diet prevents them from eating sugar, dairy, and tomatoes. According to his personal chef, 80% of their food is vegetables, and they also eat avocado ice cream as a treat. Brady has published "The TB12 Method" to teach others about his nuanced approach to diet and wellness.
Read more: Tom Brady's diet is so strict that it excludes an entire group of vegetables
10. He didn't train like a typical athlete
Unlike most other football players, Brady avoids traditional weight training and instead opts for resistance bands to increase pliability and flexibility. He believes long, soft muscles lead to peak performance.
11. And he does everything he can to keep his mind sharp
Brady uses brain exercises intended for people struggling with issues ranging from memory loss to cognitive damage with the hopes of improving his cognitive function.
12. He is ridiculously competitive
Past teammates had described instances in which Brady had broken ping pong paddles and thrown backgammon boards across the room when he was losing. He also once gave his team a pep talk before a charity football game against a group of firefighters.
Read more: 38 examples of Tom Brady's insane competitiveness
13. He sacrificed the better part of $100 million to make sure the Patriots were one of the best teams in the NFL
He would not enjoy playing with a team that couldn't compete for championships.
14. But he fell asleep in the locker room before his first Super Bowl
Clearly, the nerves didn't get to him.
15. Brady loved to drop F-bombs to relieve tension on the field
"There's nothing that quite expresses the way I feel like that word," Brady said.
Read more: Tom Brady Explains Why He Loves The F-Word
16. Despite his success with the Patriots, he long considered moving on to another franchise before making the jump
He and head coach Bill Belichick butted heads often throughout their time together, so the prolific quarterback took his talents elsewhere. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won his services for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
17. Gisele wanted him to retire since his days with the Patriots
She never understood what more he could accomplish in the NFL.
18. But he dominated the NFL throughout his 30s
Read more: Chart shows just how dominant Tom Brady was in his 30s
19. And he proved that he could still play amongst the best in his 40s
He blew former 40-year-old NFL players out of the water.
Read more:Tom Brady is already making a mockery of the NFL records for 40-year-old quarterbacks
20. He intended to play until he was 45 years old — and he did exactly that
Brady's career longevity — and success — is unparalleled.
Now check out how much the world has changed since his first Super Bowl victory:
The world was a lot different the first time Tom Brady won a Super Bowl
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