Tom Brady is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 23 seasons. Brady set dozens of records during his playing career, including winning the Super Bowl seven times, and is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. The California native’s ability to dictate football games and single-handedly drag his team across the line saw Brady earn astronomical sums on and off the field, resulting in the 46-year-old having an estimated net worth of $300 million.
Tom Brady’s Early Life
Brady was born on August 3, 1977, in San Mateo California. In the 1980s, Brady attended San Francisco 49ers games and cited the 49ers quarterback Joe Montana as his hero. Watching Montana orchestrate victories for the 49ers inspired Brady, who made it his dream to become an NFL star.
He attended Junipero Serra High School, where he was the backup quarterback for the junior varsity team. However, the starting quarterback suffered an injury, and Brady seized his opportunity. Once in the starting line-up, Brady never relinquished his position as the number one quarterback. Although Brady had talent, nobody at high school level thought he would one day influence the Super Bowl online betting markets, but that ultimately became the case.
Brady attended the University of Michigan from 1995 to 1999. In addition to playing football, Brady was a talented baseball player, and the Montreal Expos selected Brady in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB Draft. However, Brady turned down the Expos and focused on football once he learned NFL teams were interested in him.
His college career was solid if unspectacular, and Brady entered the 2000 NFL Draft as a relative unknown. The New England Patriots selected Brady as the 199th overall pick, and he was the seventh quarterback taken that year. Brady believed he would be a second or third-round pick but had to wait until the sixth round before hearing his name called. Some players would have sulked, but Brady was not your typical player. Instead, he made it his mission to prove the doubters wrong, and become the best quarterback the NFL had ever seen.
Tom Brady Career
Brady began his New England Patriots career as the fourth-string quarterback but was number two on the depth chart by the end of the season. However, two games into the 2001 campaign, starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured, allowing Brady to pull the strings for the team. Brady grabbed the chance with both hands and never relinquished the starting quarterback role for the next 18 seasons, aside from 2008, when a severe knee injury ruled him out for all but one game.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick built his side around the flourishing Brady. The Patriots won the Super Bowl during Brady’s first full season in 2001 and again in 2003 and 2004. Brady led the Patriots to Super Bowl glory three more times, in 2014, 2016, and 2018. Furthermore, the NFL crowned Brady as its Most Valuable Player (MVP) thrice.
At the end of the 2019 season, Brady announced he was not signing a new contract with the Patriots and left the franchise after 20 years with the team. He signed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won the Super Bowl in his first season, capturing his seventh Super Bowl ring. Brady played for another two years before retiring from football once the 2022 campaign ended.
Brady holds almost two dozen NFL regular season records, including most games won by a player (251), most career passing yards (89,214), most career touchdown passes (649), and most Pro Bowl selections (15).
Tom Brady’s Personal Life
Brady married Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen in February 2009. Together, they have two children: a son, Benjamin Rein Brady, and a daughter, Vivian Lake Brady. Unfortunately, the power couple finalized their divorce in October 2022.
During his playing career with the Patriots, Brady lived in the Boston suburb of Brookline, Massachusetts. He owns lavish properties, including at the Yellowstone Club near Big Sky, Montana, Silo Ridge in Amenia, New York, and a home in Indian Creek, Florida.
Brady follows a strict diet known as the TB12 Method.
Tom Brady’s Career Earnings and Net Worth
Quarterbacks are often the highest-paid players in an NFL team, and this was the case with Brady. According to the salary-checking website Sportrac, Brady earned $332,962,392 in wages during his 23 years in the NFL. However, he earned an additional $100 million from endorsing brands like Under Armour, Footlockers, Aston Martin, and Tag Heuer.
Current estimates put Brady’s net worth in the region of $300 million. That figure, although impressive, was much higher before his divorce in 2022, as he and his former wife split many assets as part of their divorce proceedings.
Brady’s net worth should increase substantially in the coming years despite no longer playing football professionally. In 2022, Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with FOX, allowing him to become the network’s number one color analyst.
Conclusion
Tom Brady’s story has inspired generations of budding football players; it is one of sheer determination to overcome adversity and become the best in his field. Being selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft and starting his professional career as the fourth-choice quarterback meant Brady started at the very bottom. However, he honed his craft, and showed incredible determination and perseverance, ultimately becoming the greatest quarterback to step foot onto an NFL field.
Brady also found time to become a doting father and a loyal husband, all while earning over $330 million in wages and an additional $100 million in sponsorships. As he embarks on the next step of his journey, Brady will continue to pull in a salary that mere mortals can only dream about.