These days, Tom Brady doesn’t need to do much of anything to get in the door somewhere. He’s a seven-time Super Bowl champion and one of the NFL’s most iconic players. But back before he morphed into the league’s greatest winner, he was a sixth-round pick who was far from guaranteed to make the New England Patriots’ roster.
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Only four sixth-round draft picks have ever made the NFL Hall of Fame: Jack Christiansen, Joe Klecko, Terrell Davis and Ken Riley. When Brady was selected No. 199 in the 2000 NFL Draft, there were only two (Christiansen and Klecko). The odds of him becoming the player he did were slim. So, he had a backup plan in place and a resume to support it.
On the latest episode of his blog, Brady dove into that resume, which he claims was one of his first Facebook posts. The accomplishments on it might not stack up with his football accolades, but one notable experience stands out:
- Merrill Lynch – Intern
- Uni. of Michigan Golf Courses – Sales Rep.; Asst. Clubhouse Manager
- Polo Fields Golf & Country Club – Sales Rep.; Course Manager; Starter
There are a couple of other summer positions Brady held, but the three above are his biggest highlights. He reflected positively on all of his past work, specifically the Merrill Lynch and golf opportunities. The latter, he said, were not entirely about the money.
“I still really enjoy all of the things that are on here. Intern at Merrill Lynch in the summer… I had a great time cause I had a great group with me. And I made my own portfolios. The golf jobs were entirely different. Obviously, they were to enable my golf habit.”
These days, Brady merely needs to utter his interest in something to gain the chance to embark on a new quest. This year, he has taken two different plunges. And, unsurprisingly, football is at the center of both.
Tom Brady is now an owner and TV broadcaster
In Week 1 of the 2024 campaign, Brady assumed a TV analyst role with FOX Sports. The position keeps him involved with the game he so desperately loves, and allows him to witness some of the NFL’s best contests each week. He also gives out a “LFG Player of the Game” award, which most recently went to Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
This move, which pays Brady quite handsomely, may have been somewhat for pleasure. His other role, though, is more business. In October, he purchased part-ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders. As if his $37.5 million-per-year broadcasting gig wasn’t fruitful enough, he’ll now take in part of the Raiders profits every year.
When you’re able to reach such an affluent status, it’s much easier to let your money work for you. Brady is doing so with his ownership stake but also continues grinding away in the broadcast booth. He has never been shy about backing down from a challenge. And just as he made his own portfolios at Merrill Lynch, he’s likely to keep expanding his current operations in the future.
