There are few more famous NFL stars in history than Tom Brady. The legendary quarterback was part of the most dominant dynasties in American Football history, and is considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the sport.
Brady spent the vast majority of his 23-year playing career with the New England Patriots, winning six of his seven Super Bowl titles with the franchise.
However, further success was achieved after making a U-turn on his decision to retire from the NFL after winning one further title with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
Most Dominant Player in History
Tom Brady was one of the most dominant players in the history of American Football, despite being selected in only the sixth round of the 2000 Draft. Immediate success would follow on the field after winning the Super Bowl in his second season with the Patriots.
Brady would go on to lead the team to 17 division titles, which included eleven straight titles between 2009 and 2019. He would also make a record nine appearances in the Super Bowl, winning the top title on six occasions.
That record would be extended to seven championships after victory with the Bucs. His dominance on the field is reflected by the sheer number of records that he holds, which includes the most career passing yards, touchdown passes, and completions.
He also holds the quarterback record for the most regular season and playoff wins. Brady is also the only player in the history of the NFL to have been the Super Bowl MVP for two different teams.
His longevity was a fixture of his success, and that is reflected by the fact that he is the oldest Super Bowl MVP in history, and also the only quarterback to have been named in two all-decade teams.
Soccer Encouraged His Comeback?
Tom Brady’s decision to retire from the NFL made international headlines in February 2022. He was still playing at the highest level of the sport after guiding the Bucs to a 24-9 record.
But, his age was catching up to him. He would later announce a U-turn on his decision just 40 days later. However, it could be argued that watching a soccer match had a major impact on his career-altering decision.
Brady was in attendance to watch Cristiano Ronaldo score a hat-trick for Manchester United in a Premier League win over Tottenham. Nowadays United is quite far from Premier League glory, according to YouBet, but back in that time they had an incredible lineup.
Brady and Ronaldo were picture together after the match, with two locked in a conversation. Many believe Ronaldo was telling Brady that he still had what it takes to compete at the highest level, and it is too much of a coincidence that his decision was reversed before the start of the following NFL season.
However, Brady was unable to add further Super Bowl success after losing in the playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys in the playoff round. His official retirement was announced in February 2023, before he later agreed a world-record deal with Fox to become the highest paid sports commentator in history.
Passion For Soccer Leads to Investment
Brady’s passion for soccer remains strong, and that was evident in August 2023, as it was officially announced that the NFL great would become a minority owner of Birmingham City.
The NFL legend has shown his passion for the team on social media, typically posting during matches with messages of support for the players. However, despite having one of the most successful sports stars on their side, Birmingham was relegated to League One at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Despite this, Brady and Birmingham’s other owners have invested in the squad, and spent an EFL-high amount in terms of transfer fees to get the club back in the right direction. That appears to have worked this season, as the Second City club look on course to achieve an automatic return to the Championship.
Birmingham currently sit top of the League One standings, and they are on course to achieve a League One record points tally in 2024-25. There could yet be further success to celebrate too, as the club have an EFL Trophy final against Peterborough United in mid-April.
American Investment in Soccer
A growing number of American sports stars are putting their hands in their pockets to invest in soccer teams.
There was further evidence of that when JJ Watt became a shareholder at Burnley, while Michael B Jordan also invested in Premier League team Bournemouth. Championship side Leeds United also have American investment behind them, with golfers Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth joining forces with NBA star Russell Westbrook.
LeBron James has also dipped into soccer investment after becoming a minor partner in Fenway Sports, who own Liverpool. The added investment of American stars will see the popularity of soccer reach new heights over the coming years.
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