20 things you may not have known about Tom Brady

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.

Read more: Tom Brady was once an intern at Merrill Lynch — Here’s his résumé from when he didn’t think he’d make it in the NFL

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. 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 more Super Bowl appearances than any other player in NFL history

Super Bowl LIII marked Tom Brady’s ninth career Super Bowl appearance, three more than any other player in NFL history. With the Patriots’ win, Brady broke his tie with pass rusher Charles Haley to win his NFL record sixth Super Bowl ring.

Read more: The NFL quarterbacks who have played in and won the most Super Bowls

4. And he’s won more than any other quarterback in the regular season

Read more: Tom Brady is the NFL’s all-time winningest regular-season quarterback

5. Brady is the second-highest paid player in NFL history

Brady has already earned $261.8 million in his 21-year NFL career, good enough to make him the second-highest paid player in the history of the league. He also makes many millions more annually through endorsement deals with companies like Under Armour, Intel, Beats by Dre, and Shields.

Read more: GISELE BUNDCHEN AND TOM BRADY: How the supermodel-quarterback power couple makes and spends their millions

6. But he still makes less money than his wife

Brady’s earnings may sound enormous, but they’re actually nothing compared to his wife’s. Gisele Bündchen was the world’s top-earning supermodel for 10 consecutive years and is reportedly on pace to make $1 billion in career earnings.

Read more: GISELE BUNDCHEN AND TOM BRADY: How the supermodel-quarterback power couple makes and spends their millions

7. 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.

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8. He and Gisele also have three dogs

The Brady-Bündchen household must be a pretty hectic one. In addition to the three kids, Gisele and Tom have three dogs: Lua, Scooby, and Fluffy. Thankfully they can spread out between their multiple extravagant homes.

 

9. Brady keeps a very strict diet

Brady and Bündchen’s diet prevents them from eating sugar, dairy, and tomatoes. According to their personal chef, 80% of what they eat is vegetables. They also eat avocado ice cream as a treat. Brady has published “The TB12 Method” to teaach 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 doesn’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.

Read more: The TB12 Method: Inside the strict fitness and nutrition lifestyle that allows Tom Brady to dominate at an age most players retire

11. He also 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.

Read more: Tom Brady uses brain exercises designed for people with brain impairments and it blew away the scientists who created them

12. Brady 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 more than $60 million to make sure the Patriots were consistently one of the best teams in the NFL

He would not enjoy playing with a team that couldn’t compete for championships.

Read more: Tom Brady has sacrificed at least $60 million in his career with discount contracts to keep the Patriots competitive

14. But he fell asleep in the locker room before his first Super Bowl

Clearly the nerves didn’t get to him.

Read more: Tom Brady fell asleep before his first Super Bowl and woke up with minutes to spare before the team took the field

15. Brady loves 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

He and head coach Bill Belichick butted heads often throughout their time together.

Read more: Tom Brady reportedly considered ending his time with the Patriots this offseason and would ‘divorce’ Bill Belichick if he could

17. Gisele wants him to retire

She doesn’t know what more he could possibly accomplish in the NFL.

Read more: Gisele Bundchen is ‘dead serious’ about getting Tom Brady to retire — here are 9 jobs he could tackle when he eventually leaves the NFL

18. But he dominated the NFL with the Patriots throughout his 30s

Read more: Chart shows just how dominant Tom Brady was in his 30s

19. And he’s proven that he can still play amongst the best in his 40s

He’s blowing 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 fully intends to play until he’s 45 years old

Yes, you heard that correctly. Brady insists he has another two seasons ahead of him.

Read more: Tom Brady says he still plans to play until he’s 45

Now check out how Brady and his supermodel wife make and spend their millions:

Tom Brady is leading the Buccaneers through their first playoff run in over a decade. Here’s how the quarterback and his supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen make and spend their millions.