Tom Brady’s connection to the NFL has always run deep. His longevity during his playing career, along with his involvement as an owner and broadcaster in retirement, is a testament to that. Though a comeback isn’t in the cards, he has even hinted at the possibility if the right opportunity arose. That’s why it was surprising to hear Brady express his satisfaction with the 2024 NFL season coming to a close.
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In his 199 newsletter, the former Patriots QB acknowledged that it might sound “weird” to hear him say he’s happy the season is over. During his playing days, he was never content—whether celebrating a Super Bowl or coming up short, the mantra in New England was always, “What’s next?” And when an early playoff exit cut the season short, that mantra echoed louder.
But this is the second season where Brady is completely detached from the game as a player. And he expressed his delight for that in his written vlog.
“This is going to sound weird, but I have never been this excited about the end of a season, though probably not for the reasons you think,” he started.
TB12 shared how, for the first time in years, he has no injury recovery concerns after the season ends, no tough decisions to make, and no emotions to navigate. Instead, he’s simply living life in the mountains, “skiing with my kids.” This offseason has given Brady a rare opportunity for reflection as well.
“I didn’t wake up the morning after the Super Bowl with aches and pains or surgery appointments. I wasn’t hungover from a win or in denial about a loss. And unlike the last handful of years, I didn’t wake up with anxiety, wondering if I was making the right decision about the year ahead. Do I stay, do I go? Do I play, do I not? Do I take a break, do I jump right into the booth?” he wrote, highlighting how everything has shifted for him.
“This past Monday, I woke up bright-eyed and clear-headed. The sun was shining. The grass was green. The water was blue. Whatever kind of birds live in South Florida were chirping,” Brady continued.
The seven-time Super Bowl champ also shared that he now wants to focus on his physical, mental, and emotional health — while improving his relationships, business interests, and work.
Brady’s Self Scouting
Brady further wrote in his newsletter that he plans to engulf a “self-scouting” period over the next few weeks. Treating it like an extended bye week from his playing days, his goal is to identify areas of improvement for him as a broadcaster. As we all know, the former QB experienced a rough start to his broadcasting career.
Early on, he seemed offbeat with his co-host Kevin Burkhardt, and his timing was a bit off. But as the season progressed, he steadily improved and delivered a solid analytical performance during the Super Bowl.
The goal of this “self-scouting” period is for Brady to look back and reflect on what he’s learned, and identify opportunities to implement his new knowledge. He wrote, “Ultimately, the idea is to reduce the distance between my intentions and my actions.”
However, Brady later expressed that he doesn’t want to get too caught up in work during the offseason. He noted that if, in February and March, it feels like he’s tipped the scales too far toward work, he’ll stop and reset.
He also shared that, in his experience, it’s much harder to identify issues in one’s schedule when constantly staring at a virtual calendar. A physical calendar, he believes, makes everything feel more tangible and real.
At the end of the day, this is just who Brady is. At a time in his life when he could kick up his feet and catch up on whatever show he likes to watch, he chooses to spend his offseason improving his commentary lingo. It’s always all gas and no brakes with this man. Take a break, Tom!
