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Sports Editor: Shailyn Bacchiocchi

Email: sbacchiocchi@umassd.edu

After a groundbreaking 23-year NFL career, Brady has officially retired for good. Brady previously retired back in 2022 and 40 days later un-retired to play another season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Brady has quite obviously accomplished it all on the field, leaving as the NFL’s leader in career passing yards, touchdown passes, and Super Bowl wins. 

As we wish Tom Brady a happy (second) retirement and look back at his career accomplishments, let’s note some less-professional, off-the-field moments that show us just how interesting Tom Brady is. 

#5: The Shocking TB12 Diet

The world was riveted when Tom Brady shared his very … strict diet. He claims it was the reason for his outstanding athletic performance, energy, and general health.

He released a revised version in 2020 after coming out with the original TB12 method in 2017. 

The list of what to avoid on the TB12 diet is extensive, avoiding things such as:

– Non-organic grass-fed dairy

– Refined carbohydrates

– Trans and saturated fats

– Added sugars

– Alcohol

– Caffeine

– GMOs

– Cooking oils

– High fructose corn syrup

– Nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc.)

Another shocking part of Brady’s diet was the amount of water he claimed to consume, at some points mentioning he drank up to three gallons a day.

According to his book, “The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance,” this amount of water prevents sunburns.

This was quite obviously refuted by science and medical experts everywhere, but at least we know he is staying hydrated. 

The world was quick to wonder just how much of Brady’s talent was based on this diet, as many doctors refuted a lot of the reasons Brady gave for adhering to this diet.

Despite this, Brady successfully capitalized off of his diet, gaining a following of people who were willing to do it on their own to live like the legend himself.

#4: The Subway Commercial

Paired with moment #5, the world was once again in awe of Tom Brady’s diet choices.

In 2021, Subway released a commercial with Tom Brady proudly holding a foot-long, and the internet would not stop pointing out the irony of it all.

Brady starts off the commercial by saying, “As well noted, your boy isn’t the biggest bread guy.” As well as not the biggest fruit, fat, alcohol, sugar, non-organic grass-fed dairy, and refined carbs-guy, might I add Tom.

Brady goes on to talk about the new bread offered by Subway called “Hero Bread,” which has no sugar and only 100 calories.

Brady says all of this, of course, but the look on his face says it all. By all, I mean, it shows I-don’t-want-this-bread-in-my-mouth.

Luckily for him, we only see him start to eat the sandwich before the commercial cuts off. I’m sure we can infer after that he wasn’t chowing down. 

This moment has to be mentioned, as it is downright hilarious.

Subway expecting the world to believe the same man who won’t pick up a tomato would be enjoying the fast-food franchise says a lot about the confidence of these corporations in their marketing tactics. 

In a way, it worked, as people would not stop talking about it. Even Brady clowned the idea within another Subway ad where he can be heard saying to Steph Curry that it is “just a commercial.”

Eat fresh, Tom.

#3: Destroyer of Cell Phones

Whether or not you believe the Patriots deflated those balls, everyone can agree the investigation was entertaining. The most notable part of the whole case?

Apparently, Tom Brady regularly destroys his cell phones.

If you are well, well behind, the Deflategate scandal was an NFL controversy that involved the accusation that Tom Brady had ordered the deflation of footballs during a Patriots game against the Indianapolis Colts back in 2015.

The outcome of the investigation was a 4-game suspension for Brady, a $1 million fine for the Patriots, and docked draft elections.

Brady has always maintained his innocence despite accepting the suspension and gave a particularly interesting excuse during the investigation regarding his cell phone. 

During the investigation, Brady ended up destroying his cellphone, but according to the NFL, they had been requesting his electronic information for weeks.

Though Brady was under no legal obligation to turn in his cell phone at the time, his lawyers did not make the NFL aware that his cell phone was destroyed until a few days before his appeal hearing.

Brady put out a statement that he disagreed with the narrative being put forth that he was hiding evidence, claiming he regularly replaces his phones due to security issues. He claimed he had recently decided to replace his recent Samsung with an iPhone 6 after the NFL said the phone device would not be subject to investigation.

According to Brady’s explanations, the timing of the destruction would suggest he smashes his phones about every 8 months.

Rich people.

Whether his explanations seem valid or a complete cover-up to this infamous case, we can conclude one thing: Brady is Apple over Android.

#2 The Trump-Brady Frenemy Story

Back in 2015, the infamous red “MAGA” hat was spotted in Brady’s locker during a press interview. Brady later spoke in support of Trump, telling NBC sports that it would “be great” if Trump won the election. 

Brady has admitted several times that he considered Donald Trump a friend. Trump has only given the utmost respect back to Brady, tweeting in 2013, “Tom Brady is a good friend of mine, a great player, a great guy, and a total winner! Fantastic comeback win-this is what our country needs!”

A beautiful friendship had blossomed in the public eye.

Back to the Deflategate for a second, Trump also tweeted in response to the investigation, showing his support for his best buddy. 

“Sue them Tom,” he wrote.

 As Trump’s politics started to take more of a hold on the world, Brady started to distance himself. When asked in 2016 if she and Brady voted for Trump, Brady’s former wife, Gisele Bundchen, commented a hard “No!”  

The distance between Brady and Trump became clearer after Trump had won the 2016 election.  

Trump spoke out against Colin Kaepernick and encouraged the NFL to fire players who kneeled during the national anthem. Brady spoke out against Trump’s statement, disagreeing with him during a post-game interview. 

But what about the tweets, Tom?

In 2020, Brady admitted that he could not “undo” things regarding his former friendship with President Trump. Seems like their friendship took a turn for the worst post-election, but it was entertaining while it lasted.

#1: The Father-Son Kiss

We’ve all seen it, unfortunately. The massage table, the uncomfortable energy, the longevity of the painful father-son smooch.

Back in 2018, a short clip from the Facebook docuseries “Tom Vs. Time” made its rounds because of the intimacy that involves Tom and his son Jack.

In the clip, Brady is getting a massage at his home. His 11-year-old son, Jack, is seen coming in to ask his dad to check his fantasy football. Brady asks his son what he gets in return if he lets Jack use the computer, to which Jack comes and gives him a peck on the mouth.

The first kiss didn’t seem out of the ordinary, but it didn’t stop there. Jack turns to walk away, but Brady then says, “That was like, a peck,” Jack returns to him for a much, much longer kiss on the mouth.

Many people were quick to point out that not only did the kiss seem too long, but that it was also off-putting that the kiss happened while Brady lay half-naked on a massage table. 

Others thought it was less weird, stating that kissing children on the mouth is culturally normal in countries outside of the U.S.

Whatever your thoughts are on the matter, this father-son moment is one that everyone in and outside of sports will remember and hopefully will soon forget.

Whether it be receiving fangirl tweets from Trump, avoiding mushrooms, eating a sub, or picking up the newest iPhone, Brady has kept us entertained just as much off the field as he has on. 

Take these moments as good or infamous, but at the least, give him the recognition he deserves for his time on the field. 

Patriots fans will be forever grateful to TB12 for six rings: here’s to more iconic off-the-field moments.