The New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady assumed his passion and dedication to his football career and the game itself would naturally be passed down to child children. To his surprise, one of his sons isn’t onboard.
The six-time Super Bowl champion explained his confusion and following realization in an interview published by Men’s Health on Tuesday. His son, Benjamin, isn’t interested in the sport his dad dedicates his life to—and that’s okay.
The way I train has evolved so much over my 20 years in the NFL and it’s showed me that anyone can continue to get better. Recently I got to talk with @MensHealthMag about wellness, longevity, and everything our team at @TB12Sports is doing to help others achieve peak performance https://t.co/OsETe0j4Ce
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) August 6, 2019
At first, Brady didn’t know what to make of the situation.
“When Benny came along, I thought he would be just like Jack,” Brady said. “So I was like, ‘C’mon, let’s do this.’ And he was like, ‘Nope.’ And I was like, ‘What? No, do this!’
And Gisele kept saying to me, ‘Would you effing understand that your son is different?’ It was hard for me. I was like, ‘What do you mean? He’s a boy; he should just do all these things that I do.”
Brady and his wife Gisele Bundchen have two kids together, their son Benny and daughter Vivian.
After some time and consideration, Brady said he realized that his son was interested in “different things.” He praises Bundchen especially, saying she helped him understand that not all of their children were going to be involved in sports.
But their differences seem to bring them together.
“… It’s great because now I just have to go do what he wants to do. When we do that, we have the best time. He’s like, ‘OMG, Dad; you’re so funny.’ He loves joking, and I joke back,” Brady added.
As Brady went on, his son chimed into the interview, taking a break from playing Mortal Kombat, to ask his Dad for an update on one of his interests.
“Dad is Jumanji 2, almost finished?”
Jumanji 2’s star, Dwayne Johnson, is a friend of Brady’s and the two DM regularly, he explained while cracking up at his son’s question.
“Benny would rather hang out with DJ than me, clearly, as you can see, which I love.”
Brady also shares his son Jack with his ex, Bridget Moynahan. The rest of the family have varying levels of enthusiasm for the sport, but they all support Brady’s love for the game.
We celebrated our 2018 Championship season last night. I’ll never take these moments for granted. From my family to yours, thank you ???? ❤️???? pic.twitter.com/AUONXc4FE8
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 7, 2019
Brady described how his oldest son Jack “loves sports,” while Vivian has other interests and often does her own thing.
“Jack is just like me—he holds a lot in, Benny lets it all out,” he said. “Vivi, she doesn’t care. They’re going to be their own selves, not who you want them to be.”
The neutrality towards sports also appears to run in the family—Brady explained that his wife isn’t all that interested, either.
“Gisele is not really into sports,” he says. “She’s like a kite flying in the sky, and I’m kind of tethering her. Sometimes I have to hold on hard. But she knows I’m always there for her.”
Alongside the glory, the quarterback recalled situations where parenting has taught him to put his wants aside and prioritize the needs of his kids. He described one noteworthy instance, right after the Patriots lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2017 Super Bowl.
After the game, Brady returned to the locker room, where he found his kids waiting for him in tears.
“I had to put my emotions aside so I could deal with their emotions,” he recounted. “I said, ‘Guys, look: Daddy doesn’t always win. That isn’t the way life is. You try really hard—that’s the most important thing. If you gave it your best, you live with the outcome.’”
The 20th annual @bestbuddies challenge was last night! I want my kids to grow up in a world where people are recognized and celebrated for the characteristics that make them uniquely themselves because we’re all better when we include everyone. pic.twitter.com/bXDvWfiMNU
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 1, 2019
Although not always at the forefront of the public eye, Brady is undoubtedly a passionate family man. His love for them seems as evident as his love for football, and his Twitter description seems to say it best: “Family and Football.”
