Tom Brady’s career had everything in multiples—Super Bowls, Pro Bowls, MVPs, All-Pro selections, and even retirements. He famously retired in 2022 after his second season in Tampa, only to unretire and return for one more year. Some would even say that his connection to the game was so deep that he was willing to sacrifice his 12-year marriage—and ultimately, he did. But for those who had followed his journey, it wasn’t a surprise. He had foreshadowed it all the way back in 2005.
Advertisement
At the height of the first Patriots dynasty, fresh off winning his third Lombardi Trophy, TB12 sat down with Steve Kroft for 60 Minutes. During their riveting conversation, Kroft asked him a simple yet profound question: What scares you the most?
For most people, the possibilities are endless. But for the GOAT, there was only one answer—“The end of my playing career.”
Even then, despite being just six seasons into his NFL journey, Brady had already thought about retirement. He was still over a decade and a half away from that reality, yet the idea of life without football lingered in his mind. The seven-time Super Bowl champion admitted that even in the offseason, he struggled to keep himself occupied.
“The end of my playing career- big time. I guess I have done this for so long and I know what I feel like in the off-season that I’m always trying to figure out ways to have my day filled with things I like to do.”
Football gave his life purpose—a singular focus that guided him year-round. The game is brutal, demanding, and not for everyone, but for Brady, it provided structure, a challenge to master, and something to look forward to every day.
He always knew that walking away would be the hardest thing he’d ever do. When his body finally told him it was time to hang it up, he couldn’t imagine finding anything that would match the thrill, excitement, and joy football had given him. He even compares it to the astronauts who go to the moon and then are unable to find something similar that will ever come close to matching that feeling.
“When I’m playing football during those seven months of the year, it’s easy when you get up and come here. You’re focused, you got a goal, you got something you are trying to accomplish. When it’s done, you don’t have 80k screaming your name. What’s it going to be? I don’t know.”
TB12 did retire eventually, finally finding the courage to walk away for good from the game he played for so long. It took him only two chances to walk away, unlike other GOATs like Michael Jordaan who retired thrice, showing how hard it is to simply go off into the sunset.
However, retirement would have been a distant thing on his mind if he hadn’t made it which looked like a real possibility back in 1999.
Brady’s career could have ended even before it had started
Tom Brady had to overcome immense adversity to reach the NFL. Since high school, the GOAT fought for his place, constantly proving critics and doubters wrong. If it had been up to the scouts, his dream might have never materialized. But thanks to his grit—and the trust placed in him by Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft—he got his shot.
His scouting report famously painted an unflattering picture: a skinny quarterback who lacked mobility, couldn’t handle pressure, and didn’t have a strong arm. Based on such a “glowing” evaluation, it was a miracle the Patriots drafted someone who didn’t look like an NFL QB with their 199th overall pick.
So what did the scouts fail to see on the game tape? According to TB12, they failed to see his grit, drive, and competitiveness. They failed to see his burning desire to play football professionally.
” I think they underestimated my competitiveness. They underestimated how much I really enjoyed playing football. When it’s like your priority, when it’s something very important in your life, when you love to play the game that says a lot. That says you’ll do just about anything to get where you want to go.”
I guess after 23 seasons, 7 Super Bowls, 3 MVPs, 5 Super Bowl MVPs, Three- First -Team All-Pros, 15 Pro Bowls, and countless records later, Tom Brady proved those scouts wrong.
