“They Were All Better Athletes Than I Was”: Tom Brady Revisits How His Three Sisters Fostered a ‘Caring Environment’ for Him

Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady is widely regarded as the best quarterback to ever play in the NFL — and perhaps the greatest football player of all time. Though he wasn’t a highly touted prospect coming out of college (sliding all the way to the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft), Brady forged his path to becoming one of the most successful athletes ever.

Brady leads nearly every major quarterback stat, including wins, passing yards, touchdowns, and Super Bowl victories (7). However, before Brady became the football legend we know today, his sister shone in the family a little brighter, displaying their athletic skills.

Brady grew up with three older sisters, and sports were a big part of their lives. In a one-on-one sit-down with The Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty, the former QB spoke about the impact his parents and sisters had on him and how they gave him a caring environment growing up. 

“They [parents] gave up everything they needed to in order for me to accomplish my goals,” Brady said. “My sisters as well. I had three older sisters that were all better athletes than I was. They just fostered this really caring environment for us throughout our entire life.” 

The three older sisters Brady looked up to are Maureen, Julie, and Nancy Brady. Maureen, the oldest, was an All-American pitcher at Fresno State University. Her daughter, Maya Brady, is following in her footsteps as a current member of the UCLA Bruins softball team.

The middle sister, Julie, tried out for the St. Mary’s College soccer team as a walk-on and eventually earned an athletic scholarship to play. She is married to former Boston Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis.

The youngest sister, Nancy, like Maureen, played softball. She earned a scholarship to play softball at UC Berkeley.

In the same episode with Kielty, Brady and the host discussed his Irish roots. His father’s side of the family came from Milltown, County Cavan, while his mother’s side is from Cork.

Brady confirmed to Kielty that his father was, in fact, 100 percent Irish, which prompted the two to talk about his background. 

“An Irish boy at heart for sure,” Brady said proudly. “50 percent but trending. The more visits I take here, the more Irish I’m becoming.”

Brady then talked about his niece Maya’s experience when she visited Ireland for some softball games. He joked that the weather wasn’t great, with it raining every day she was there, which prevented her from playing any games. Still, she had a great experience, as Brady recalled.