What Tom Brady didn’t anticipate with NFL retirement: ‘A lot going on’

Retirement hasn’t been all play for Tom Brady.

In a new interview with Sports Illustrated, the seven-time Super Bowl, 45, champion remarked how his post-NFL lifestyle has “been a lot busier” than he anticipated since calling it a career in February after 23 seasons.

“It’s been a lot busier than I’ve wanted it to be. It’s been a lot going on this offseason, so just trying to get my calendar lined up and trying to figure out exactly where I’m headed here the next three months with my kids,” Brady said.

The former quarterback, who shares two of his three children, son Benjamin, 13, and daughter Vivian, 10, with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen, added that while he’s got “some vacation stuff” lined up, he believes retirement won’t actually settle in until later this summer.

“Certainly, I think, in around late July, when typically I’d be going in for football and training camp, but this year I’m not doing that, so, I don’t think I’m going to miss that part too much, certainly probably when the games come around in September I’ll miss it a little bit more, but I’m very happy with the things I have going on, and looking forward to some really cool opportunities in my life moving forward,” Brady said.

Brady isn’t exaggerating in regard to those “cool opportunities.”

Not only is he sliding into the Fox Sports booth next fall as the network’s lead NFL analyst, but he’s also moving closer to becoming a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.

With the Raiders endeavor, however, whispers intensified over the last week that Brady could potentially plot a return to the field.

The NFL legend, who played for the Patriots and Buccaneers over the course of his career, dispelled those rumors Thursday, stating in part, “I’m certain I’m not playing again.”

“I’ve tried to make that clear and I hate to continue to profess that because I’ve already told people that lots of times — but I’m looking forward to my broadcasting job with Fox next year,” Brady told Sports Illustrated.

In the meantime, Brady is looking forward to new adventures this summer with his nearest and dearest.

“We’re going to Disneyland tomorrow to celebrate because it’s the last day of school. Then they’re going with their mom for a couple of weeks to Brazil,” Brady recently told People.

Upon their return, it’s off to Europe with Brady.

“They got lots of good plans,” he said. “These kids have a really good summer lined up.”

Brady and Bündchen, 42, had been married for 13 years before announcing their divorce in October 2022.

He also co-parents son Jack, 15, with his ex, actress Bridget Moynahan.