Years Later, Tom Brady Still Regrets Letting Football Consume His Life

Tom Brady wanted to enjoy playing football in his NFL career instead of focusing only on winning games.

Years Later, Tom Brady Still Regrets Letting Football Consume His Life

Tom Brady (Image via IMAGO)

Tom Brady played more than two decades in the NFL and won seven Super Bowls for two different teams—the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers—and countless other accolades, including All-Pro honors and MVPs. Despite boasting an overcrowded mantelpiece, the 47-year-old still has one regret he cannot seem to let go of.

During an episode of the Pivot Podcast aired in May last year, Tom Brady spoke about his regret. Fans witnessed his success but rarely saw the mentality and hard work that went into achieving the success.

However, in Brady’s own words, he worked a bit too hard and took football too seriously.

Once, before a game between Michigan and Ohio State, Brady woke up at 5:30 in the morning and showed up to the coach’s office, and laid out the plays he wanted to run. Coach sent him back to bed, advising him to rest before the big rivalry.

He developed a habit of trying to control everything because if he had control over it, then winning would have been easier. However, it’s impossible to have control over everything, and he realized that over time.

Brady understood that his goal should be to develop himself instead of focusing on things that he cannot control. This mentality helped him win Super Bowls and brought all the riches, but he was slowly losing the inner peace that he once had as a young boy who enjoyed watching Joe Montana play for the San Francisco 49ers close to the Bay Area, where the Brady family lived.

I just love throwing the football. I still, when I throw the football and I see the ball spiral out of my hands I am like ‘oof!!! I love that.’

Brady even invited the crew of Pivot, Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor, for a game of catch at the beach.

Tom Brady revealed why he is envious of Patrick Mahomes

By the time he realized that he should have taken better care of his inner self, it was too late. Brady revealed that he wanted to win games, but the fun of winning games was no longer there in the twilight of his career.

Years Later, Tom Brady Still Regrets Letting Football Consume His Life
Tom Brady (Image via IMAGO)

Brady acknowledged that he enjoyed the training period leading up to a game more than the game itself because he felt relaxed during practice. The constant pressure of being Tom Brady the invincible made it harder to love the game.

So when he turns on the TV now or covers games for FOX, Brady always feels envious of players like the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who enjoy the game instead of constantly staying locked in throughout.

I see Patrick out there at QB, running around, laughing, having fun. I’m like, ‘I used to be like that! What the hell happened to me?’ I just got too serious. But again, I can only look back and think, if I do it again, which I would never do it again, I would be different, but the reality is you can’t so you just enjoy life and learn from it and now next phase of life, enjoy a little more.

He is enjoying a little more after retiring for good in 2023. However, he’s still involved with football. He bought a small share in the Las Vegas Raiders, and after a long time, the AFC West team looks like it can challenge Mahomes’ Chiefs in the division.

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