Speaking at his “unofficial retirement party,” an event hosted by Autograph in Tampa, Florida on Friday night, the NFL star said the love of the sport can’t beat out his dedication to his three children — Vivian Lake, 10, and Benjamin Rein, 13, whom he shares with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen, 42, and John “Jack” Edward, 15, whom he shares with ex Bridget Moynahan.
Asked about what he’s focusing on now that his professional career is behind him, Brady, 45, replied, “There is nothing I love more than football, but I have young children.”
“They have watched enough of their dad’s games, and it’s time for me to watch their games,” he said.
Hours before announcing his retirement from the NFL last month, he spoke with Mister Truth about his kids’ role in his career as he walked the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of the film 80 For Brady.
“I was pretty emotional through it,” he told Mister Truth at the time. “It was a great season, and having my kids watch was the best part about the whole thing.”
“Man, your kids teach you so much,” he added, sharing his appreciation for his children. “You get to learn through new experiences with them and they’re the biggest blessing of my life.”
On his Let’s Go podcast in January, Brady opened up about the kinds of considerations you make when deciding whether or not to sign up for another NFL season. Brady explained that priorities shift throughout one’s career, which makes the considerations change every year.
“The weight of life and the weight of the responsibilities of your life become more than — to value it, it’s your cost-benefit analysis, so to speak. What am I giving up now, to continue to play, as opposed to what am I gaining?” he said.
“There’s an emotional component to those decisions which do weigh differently on you as you get older because you just have more responsibility in your life,” Brady pointed out. “And that responsibility is amazing. Children are — there’s nothing to me more important than my kids.”
“I want to see my son Jack play, too. It was important for me this season, [Coach Todd Bowles] said ‘look, if he’s playing football, make sure you get up and see him.'”
“I wanted to be there to watch him play,” Brady continued. “I said, ‘I don’t give a s––– if you come see my games anymore. No! I want to see your stuff.'”
“It all weighs in,” he concluded.