For all of the love and hope that comes in a son deciding to pursue the same steps as his father, in the world of professional sports, that dream is often a rather impossible one to fulfill. From Ryan Nece to Shedeur Sanders, second-generation athletes tend to fall short of filling their fathers’ shoes.
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Throw in the amount of sacrifices and demands that one must adhere to in order to achieve gridiron greatness, and Tom Brady doesn’t see himself recommending it for his own son, Jack. In referencing the pressure that his son would receive simply due to the virtue of his name, the former New England Patriot doesn’t believe that it’s in his best interest to encourage his son to play any more football than he would want to otherwise.
In a previous appearance on the Today Show, the seven-time Super Bowl champion explained:
“I wouldn’t choose for him to (play football), because there’s too many crazy expectations that people would put on him, most of them probably very unfair, actually.”
When his son elected to take up high school football despite the lack of encouragement, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer admitted to feeling a sense of pride when watching him play at quarterback. In suggesting that he’s not good for much else, Brady was happy to finally have something that he could assist his son with.
Suffice to say, the G.O.A.T. was beaming with pride after being asked about his kid.
“I love watching him play quarterback, because I think there’s very few things in life that I could probably help him with… I don’t have a lot of specialties in life other than probably throwing the football. He’s way smarter. He’s got a great work ethic. He’s just a great kid.”
While he’s certainly done his best to remain neutral towards his children’s athletic careers, Brady, by no means, has sheltered them from competition. In making sure that they live a healthy lifestyle and are constantly growing, the former signal caller has often been seen accompanying his son in various workouts and pickup games.
The two of them even managed to spend some time on the court throughout 2024, with Brady proving to have some surprising form to his jump shot.
For all of the success that organized sports have brought him, Brady maintains that his children’s path is purely up to them. “Whatever they choose, I’m there to support them just like my dad supported me.”
Even after his ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen, noted that Jack was hopeful of playing at Michigan like his father, the football legend has remained steadfast in his supportive yet hands-off approach. Choosing to watch his son as a fan rather than as a scout, Brady seems determined not to make his son into a heavily scrutinized, national sensation.
In a world where online criticisms and the opinions of analysts are almost too readily available, it’s likely that he’s made the right choice in allowing his kid to be a kid.
