21 things you might not have known about Tom Brady

Meredith CashFeb 1, 2022, 23:05 IST

Tom Brady.AP Photo/Rich Schultz

Tom Brady officially retired Tuesday as one of the best players in NFL history.
At 44 years old, Brady stepped away from the gridiron with 7 Super Bowl rings and 5 SB MVP awards.

Tom Brady is one of the greatest to ever do it.

And now, his NFL career is set in stone.

The legendary quarterback officially announced his retirement from the NFL Tuesday after 22 seasons, seven Super Bowl victories, and three NFL MVP awards. He will almost surely go down in history as the greatest quarterback in the history of professional football.

Despite all of his fame and success, there are still some things you may not know about one of sports' most prominent figures. So Insider assembled a list of 21 facts you may not know about Brady.

Check them out below:

1. Brady spent two years as a backup at the University of Michigan

2. He was famously taken with the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft

Elise Amendola/AP

3. He has played in more Super Bowls than any other player in NFL history

ew England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after beating the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium.Reuters/USA Today Sports

4. And he's won more Super Bowls than any other player — or any single NFL franchise

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

5. He also won more than any other quarterback in the regular season

Jim Rogash/Getty

6. Brady is one of the highest paid players in NFL history

Tom Brady.Getty/Cliff Welch

7. But he still made less money than his wife

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly

8. Brady has two sons and a daughter

Instagram/Gisele

9. He and Gisele also have three dogs

Facebook/Tom Brady

10. They keep a very strict diet, and it's unclear whether Brady will stick to it in retirement

via Tom Brady/Instagram

11. He didn't train like a typical athlete

Tom Brady.Mark LoMoglio/AP Images

12. And he does everything he can to keep his mind sharp

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

13. He is ridiculously competitive

Tom Brady.Mark LoMoglio/AP Images

14. He sacrificed the better part of $100 million to make sure the Patriots were one of the best teams in the NFL

Maddie Meyer/Getty

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

Maddie Meyer/Getty

16. Brady loved to drop F-bombs to relieve tension on the field

Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to their NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau FieldStacy Revere/Getty Images

17. Despite his success with the Patriots, he long considered moving on to another franchise before making the jump

Liynne Sladky/AP

18. Gisele wanted him to retire since his days with the Patriots

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

19. But he dominated the NFL throughout his 30s

Jeff Roberson/AP

20. And he proved that he could still play amongst the best in his 40s

Tom Brady warms up for a game against the New York Jets.AP Photo/Adam Hunger

21. He fully intended to play until he was 45 years old — and he could have done it if he wanted to

Mark LoMoglio/AP Images

Now check out how much the world has changed since his first Super Bowl victory:

Bob Breidenbach/Providence Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

6 quarterbacks were picked before Tom Brady in the 2000 NFL Draft. Here is where they are now.

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