Every sport has a once-in-a-generation player that reaches the dizzy heights of superstardom. Quarterback Tom Brady is the National Football League’s (NFL) shining example of such a player. Brady is still going strong despite being 45 years old, and the Tampa Bay Buccanneers man holds almost every major quarterback record since the NFL started keeping such records.
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr, to give the NFL legend his full name, was born in San Mateo, California, on August 3, 1977. Brady’s love affair with American Football started at an early age, with regularly attending San Francisco 49ers games from the age of three. The 49ers quarterback, Joe Montana, was Brady’s hero, and a young Brady often tried emulating his hero as he developed his quarterback skills through childhood, high school, and then at the University of Michigan.
A Long and Illustrious Career
Brady played for Michigan from 1995 to 1999. He spent the first two seasons as the backup quarterback to future NFL star Brian Griese before making the position his own from 1997 onwards. Little did people know back then that anyone wanting to learn how to bet on football would automatically research if Brady was playing because he would become influential, almost unplayable at times, for the professional teams he played for.
After passing 4,773 yards and throwing 30 touchdowns in his four seasons with Michigan, the New England Patriots drafted Brady as the 199th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played once during his rookie season, completing one of his three passes for six yards. It was hardly a groundbreaking start to his career. However, Brady came alive from 2001 onwards and began creating a legacy.
Brady won the Super Bowl during his first season as a regular starter in 2002 before guiding the New England Patriots to a 16-0 regular season record in 2007. Brady spent 20 seasons with the Patriots, the most for an NFL quarterback with one franchise. He lifted the famous Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy six times with the Patriots before he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
Amazingly, Brady won the Super Bowl during his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 6ft 4in (1.93m) tall superstar was superb throughout the regular season and the playoff, overshadowing up-and-coming star Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs at the Super Bowl LV.
Last season, Brady retired from the NFL but made a dramatic U-turn only 40 days after his announcement. How long he remains active in football remains to be seen, but the three-time NFL MVP is still playing at the top of his game and looks like he could continue doing so forever.
Brady’s Astronomical Earnings and Net Worth
Quarterbacks are the NFL players that enjoy the largest salaries and bonuses, with elite quarterbacks commanding eight-figure annual wages. Brady earned $231,500 during his first season as a professional football player but has made eight figures in 16 of his 23 professional seasons! In 2021, Brady earned a staggering $39,420,588 and will earn an additional $30 million in 2022. Overall, Brady has pulled in an almost unbelievable $332,962,392 in cash payments, and that astronomical sum does not include bonuses or his many endorsement deals.
Brady has an estimated net worth north of $250 million. Until October 28, 2022, Brady was married to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen. The pair officially split after being together since 2006. Bundchen has an estimated net worth in excess of $400 million, which made the Brady’s a legitimate power couple
