Tom Brady’s retirement message may have kicked up a storm, but his first-ever movie is kicking one even bigger. ’80 for Brady’, categorized as a sports comedy, has hit theatres, and it is already making waves in the NFL community. However, the idea did not come from Tom Brady himself. Instead, it was a 72-year-old friendship that moved Brady to pursue this as his first movie.
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The movie is based on a group of 5 women: Betty Pensavalle, Elaine St. Martin, Anita Riccio, Pat Marx, and Claire Boardman. All 4 used to come together to watch Tom Brady and the New England Patriots dominate the NFL at the time. Though the group is no longer together at full strength, the memories they shared gave birth to this unique movie that is leaving fans in awe.
Of the 5, Pensavalle and St. Martin have been friends for 72 years and were the founding members of the ’80 for Brady’ gang.“The camaraderie was wonderful,” Pensavalle recalls. “We laughed and yelled a lot. We watched on my patio. And I’m sure the neighbors heard us even though it’s enclosed, we had a lot of fun.”
“The girls all came for the 1 o’clock game,” Pensavalle adds. “They would get here at 12:30, we would get settled, and we would start watching. They brought hors d’oeuvres and, later in the game, we’d have wine or Bloody Marys.”
St. Martin confesses she has been a Brady fan ever since his arrival in New England. “I loved watching Tom from the beginning,” she says. “Even when the Patriots were behind we never lost hope. We knew he could pull out a miracle, as he did in many games. Especially the Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons.”
Tom Brady announced his retirement the day after his movie premiered
Tom Brady’s retirement message, from that random beach, came one day after his movie’s premiere show. It was a short but rather emotional message, in which he made it clear that he wasn’t coming back. Given the sub-par performance, he’s had this season, and the lucrative contract with Fox Sports waiting, he does not seem to have a reason to come back at all.
Although, he will be retiring with his head held high. For he has achieved what no other player could dream of achieving in the league. At 45 years old, he has played in the NFL for 23 years and has won 7 Super Bowls. That’s one more than what the Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers could manage. He is, undoubtedly, the greatest football player to have ever played in the history of the NFL.
With his retirement, comes a new era for the NFL. Many have enjoyed watching him play on the gridiron. However, many more will be eager to see him use his experience to talk about games. Especially when it comes to younger QBs, who will all be vying to become the next GOAT. Brady’s analysis of these players will certainly play a huge role in how the fans and the respective players see themselves.
