Tom Brady may be an NFL legend with seven Super Bowl rings, but when it comes to parenting, the former quarterback says he's made his share of mistakes.
In a recent candid interview, Tom, who shares 17-year-old Jack with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan and two younger children, Benjamin and Vivian, with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen, opened up about the ups and downs of fatherhood, admitting, "I screwed up a lot."
Speaking at the 2024 Fortune Global Forum in New York City, Tom discussed the complexities of parenting, especially when navigating the legacy of his own success. "All of the parents in the room know that being a parent is probably the hardest job all of us have," he said.
"And we screw up a lot. And I've screwed up a lot as a parent." He added, "I don’t want to seem like I’m some sort of expert in parenting, because I’m certainly not that."
Tom's honest reflections come shortly after the news of Gisele’s pregnancy with her partner, Jiu-Jitsu instructor Joaquim Valente.
Yet, Tom remains committed to supporting his children and being present in their lives. He shared that his parenting goal is to be "dependable and consistent" and to encourage his kids, even if the shadow of his career looms large.
"The blessing my parents gave me was when I was that long-shot kid, a backup quarterback on a freshman team, they never said, ‘Let’s do something different.’ They just said, ‘You know what? Go for it.’ That’s probably my parenting style," Tom reflected, showing that his approach to fatherhood is as grounded as it is supportive.
Tom spoke warmly about his eldest son, Jack, who at 6-foot-5 has dreams of pursuing basketball.
"I tell him, 'Dude, you’re gonna be a stud. Wait till you hit your growth spurt, you’ll be dunking in no time,'" he said with a smile. "And whether he does or not, who cares? I want him to know his dad’s got his back."
For Tom, parenting is an ongoing journey, one where he hopes to give his children the same encouragement he received growing up.
"My kids are going to be faced with their own challenges, and they have to figure out how to overcome them too," he continued. "I’ll be there to support them a lot, just like my parents did, and I’ll be learning along the way right there with them."
Gisele has been with Joaquim since June 2023, but they first met when he was her jiu-jitsu instructor.
The Victoria's Secret model addressed the rumors that she was dating the 37-year-old in an interview with Vanity Fair months before they became official.
"I think, at this point, unfortunately, because I'm divorced, I'm sure that they're going to try to attach me to anything…I'm so grateful to know all of [the Valente brothers] because not only have they helped me and helped my kids, but they have become great friends," she said.
She added: "Joaquim especially. He's our teacher and, most importantly, he's a person that I admire and that I trust. It's so good to have that kind of energy, to have my kids around that type of energy."