by The Influence of Tom Brady Sr. on NFL Legend Tom Brady
[bg_collapse view=”button-orange” color=”#4a4949″ expand_text=”Show More” collapse_text=”Show Less” ]
Tom Brady is widely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL. Over his 22-year career, Brady has won 7 Super Bowls, 5 Super Bowl MVP awards, and 3 NFL MVP awards. His relentless work ethic, competitive fire, and ability to thrive under pressure are hallmarks of his legendary career. But where did these defining characteristics come from? Much of Brady’s success can likely be traced back to the influence of his father, Tom Brady Sr.
While specific details about their relationship aren’t always reported on, it’s clear Brady Sr. played a major role in shaping the player and person his son has become. Through instilling a strong work ethic, nurturing Brady’s competitive spirit in a healthy way, and emphasizing the importance of family, Brady Sr. helped lay the foundation for his son’s incredible NFL career and legacy. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the key ways Brady Sr. influenced the GOAT.
Work Ethic
One of Tom Brady’s most well-known traits is his relentless work ethic. Even at 45 years old and with a record seven Super Bowl rings, Brady is still putting in extra hours in the film room and working tirelessly to improve his game. This kind of drive and dedication doesn’t happen by accident – it was likely instilled in Brady from a young age by his father.
Brady Sr. was a disciplined salesman and insurance executive who was said to value hard work above all else. He pushed both Tom and his sisters to work hard in school and in their extracurricular activities. Brady has recalled doing chores and manual labor jobs around his father’s properties as a kid. These early life lessons helped shape Brady’s famous “no days off” attitude that has served him so well in his NFL career.
Brady’s high school coach at Junipero Serra High School in California said of Brady Sr., “His dad was a very disciplinarian type. He pushed Tom to be the best.” This push seemed to stick with Brady, as he now pushes himself to constantly outwork his opponents through tireless film study, practice, workouts, and perfection of his craft. Brady’s work ethic is what has allowed him to continually defy Father Time in the NFL – and it all stems from the example set by his hardworking father.
Competitive Spirit
Another defining trait of Tom Brady’s is his intensely competitive nature. He has an unquenchable desire to win and be the best, which is a big reason for his record-breaking seven Super Bowl titles. But Brady’s competitive fire didn’t emerge out of thin air – it was nurtured from a young age by his father.
Brady Sr. was an athlete in his own right, having played baseball at the University of San Mateo. He seemed to pass that competitive sporting gene down to his son Tom, who started playing football, basketball, and baseball from a young age. Brady Sr. would challenge his son in one-on-one basketball and football games in the backyard, helping to foster Tom’s competitive spirit.
Brady recalled of his father, “He taught me how to be competitive…He was always challenging me. He was always pushing me to be the best I could be.” Brady carried that competitive fire from childhood games with his dad into his football career, where it has served as a major driving force. Brady seems to view every game, practice, and workout as a competition – and he wants to win more than anything. Nurturing this healthy competitive spirit was an important way Brady Sr. helped lay the groundwork for his son’s incredible NFL success.
Importance of Family
Despite his busy and high-pressure career as quarterback of the New England Patriots, Tom Brady has always emphasized the importance of family throughout his career. He’s been with his wife Gisele Bündchen for over a decade and they have three children together. Brady makes time for family dinners and tries to be very involved in his kids’ lives, even with his demanding NFL schedule.
This focus on family likely stems from Brady’s upbringing and the example set by his father, Tom Brady Sr. Brady Sr. and his wife Galynn, who divorced when Tom was young, worked to keep their family tight-knit despite obstacles. Brady has said his parents taught him the importance of surrounding himself with people he loves and trusts.
Even after the divorce, Brady Sr. remained a constant presence in his children’s lives. He attended as many of Tom’s football games as he could growing up. Brady has recalled fondly how his father would take the family on trips to Lake Tahoe or do activities together like play board games. These family memories seem to have stayed with Brady into adulthood and influenced how he approaches fatherhood and family life today.
Maintaining a strong work-family balance is difficult for any high achiever, but Brady credits his father for instilling in him the values of cherishing family above all else. “He was very supportive of everything we did,” Brady said of his dad. “He gave us the sense that we could accomplish anything if we worked hard at it.” Clearly this lesson resonated deeply with Brady.
Laying the Foundation
While specifics aren’t always reported on, it’s evident that Tom Brady Sr. played a pivotal role in shaping the player, person, and family man that Tom Brady has become. Through instilling a tireless work ethic, nurturing Brady’s competitive fire in a healthy way, and emphasizing the importance of family above all, Brady Sr. helped lay the foundation for his son’s unprecedented NFL success and career longevity.
Brady has said his father was his “biggest role model” and that he tries to emulate the strong character and values his dad brought to fatherhood. The seven-time Super Bowl champion still maintains a close relationship with his father to this day as well. While natural talent was surely a factor, Brady’s relentless drive, passion for the game, and ability to balance work and family can likely be traced directly back to the guidance and example set by his father during his formative years. The GOAT’s story is a testament to both his own work and the influence of his father Tom Brady Sr. in helping shape a champion.
[/bg_collapse]
