Tom Brady, the billion dollar man! He’s the Trump-supporting all-American sports hero with the supermodel’s ex-wife and Hollywood looks who just bought Birmingham City

Tom Brady would have walked right out of central casting to be the all-American sports hero. At six feet tall, a Hollywood handsome, and once married to a supermodel, he became the most decorated NFL success story in history.

The fame of the man who improbably bought Birmingham City even reached beyond the vast expanses of the US to catch the imagination of the wider world.

He is recognized the world over for his achievements and longevity: an unprecedented seven Super Bowl triumphs, with his strong right arm propelling his career not only to a career-high 89,214 yards, but also to 45, the years-defying retirement age he usually predates. had eyes. met himself and more often, after a false retirement that was soon withdrawn.

American sports are quantified by statistics, so just half an apology for reminding that his other unsurpassed numbers include 649 passing touchdowns and 7,753 pass completions. In his forties he even beat the numbers he set in his twenties, with the help of a reconstructed knee.

While we could quibble over whether LeBron James or Michael Jordan was the supreme being in basketball, who else but Brady is Gridiron’s GOAT – the greatest of all time?

In amounts easier for a British audience to comprehend, Brady earned about $1 billion in wages and endorsements over 23 years, 20 of which reached staggering highs with the New England Patriots prior to his retirement from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he spent an Indian summer won the Super Bowl for the last time in 2021.

He could have made even more wealth if he hadn’t taken a cut from the Patriots for several years so they could invest in the rest of the team and stay within the salary cap.

It is a sign that he is the ultimate competitor and winner and brings him – as some would say – close to sanctity.

However, it all started without much razzmatazz. Born in San Mateo, California, one of four children and only son, a graduate of the University of Michigan, Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. was selected by the Patriots as a distant 199th sideline in the sixth round of the NFL draft of 2000, the largest robbery imaginable.

Then came 17 division titles, 11 in a row, nine Super Bowl appearances, and six titles with New England. In total, he has been named Most Valuable Player three times.

Both were fortunate to have Brady teamed up with coach Bill Belichick, American Football’s answer to Sir Alex Ferguson, though it should be noted that the Patriots have done nothing significant without their star quarterback to this day.

There was a hint of grit in the intoxicating mix. Brady was penalized for deflating balls in the Patriots’ win over the Indianapolis Colts in 2015 and was suspended for four games. His team was fined $1 million and forfeited two draft selections.

Brady, who wore Make America Great Again caps in support of Donald Trump, consummated his fairytale romance with Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen at a Catholic ceremony in Santa Monica in 2009.

In current vernacular, Ken had met his Barbie. They had two children, Benjamin, 13, and Vivian, 10. The couple’s divorce was finalized in October last year. One theory behind the split was his reluctance to retire, a reluctance to put family before his calling in the sport.

Still, Bundchen told Vanity Fair, “What has been said is one piece of a much bigger puzzle. It’s not that black and white.

“I have always cheered for him and always will. If there’s one person I want to be the happiest in the world, it’s him, believe me. I want all his dreams to come true.’

Its longevity was sustained by its diet, or so we’re led to believe. It’s called the TB12 method, a largely plant-based regimen. Developed in collaboration with Alex Guererro, alternative medicine practitioner, it contains “a set of healthy daily habits on five pillars: flexibility, nutrition, hydration, exercise and mental fitness.”

It is intended to reduce inflammation, provide energy, improve performance and promote recovery.

Organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes make up about 80 percent of the tour cost. Grass-fed, organic meats and hormone- and antibiotic-free poultry make up the remaining 20 percent, along with wild-caught fish and seafood. Tomatoes are shunned.

What they would have made of that at Trevor Francis’s Birmingham City is anyone’s guess, but that’s cutting-edge modern sports science.

Today, in his retirement, Brady is seen as a symbol of what taking care of yourself can do to an athlete. His name is mentioned when asked if his friend Lewis Hamilton can go beyond the age of 38. “Look at Tom Brady, he’s still 45,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff when the question came up. “Age is not a barrier.”

By buying into a second-tier football club, Brady is no doubt looking for some sort of dividend. On this side of the pond, there are few who have managed to maintain financial glory long after their careers, and are worth dying for when your playing days are over.

Sir Jackie Stewart is probably the best example of someone who made it work, with his ties to Ford, Rolex and Heineken, and as team owner of his eponymous, Grand Prix-winning outfit, sold for a gold mine.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Arnold Palmer made a success of a stratospheric bank-breaking retirement and endless appeal.

Tom Brady, superstar, may hope he is of the same ilk.