Tom Brady sold his stake in Birmingham City, parting ways with the English club he invested in three years ago, AP reported on July 10.
The 49-year-old former NFL quarterback acquired the holding when an American investment group took over the team playing in the English second tier.
Building a Post-Retirement Business Empire
After being selected 199th overall by the New England Patriots in the 2000 NFL draft, Brady won seven Super Bowls across 23 seasons before stepping away from the game. His post-playing career has drawn immense attention through sports broadcasting, team ownership stakes, and apparel brands that generate earnings surpassing his playing days.
Forbes estimated that Brady made $332.96 million in salary through the end of the 2022 season, setting a record for career earnings in the NFL at the time. Endorsements added roughly $200 million, bringing his total playing-era earnings to $530 million. Brady held the league’s top salary in only a single season, 2010.
He famously took below-market pay to help his teams sign top talent and maintain high standards, a method known as the hometown discount that ultimately elevated his personal brand value. Right after his retirement in 2022, Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million broadcasting deal with Fox Sports. That single agreement pays him more money to talk into a microphone for a decade than he earned in salary across 23 years on the gridiron.
Ventures Across Multiple Sports Leagues
Team ownership and investments have expanded far beyond English football. In 2024, Brady secured a 5% stake in the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders. He also invested in the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces and an E1 electric boat racing outfit named Team Brady.
He launched the apparel company Nobull in 2024 by combining TB12, the health and wellness brand he started in 2013, with his eponymous clothing line Brady. Additional startup ventures include 199 Productions and Autograph, an NFT platform for sports and entertainment.
Parallels to Jordan and Beckham
Similar post-career trajectories appear in the careers of basketball great Michael Jordan and football star David Beckham. Jordan earned $90 million in playing salary before building a fortune approaching $2.4 billion largely through partnerships with Nike, anchored by the enduring revenue of Air Jordan royalties. Jordan later reaped a massive return by selling his stake in the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets.
Beckham secured a 26% share in Inter Miami to become a co-owner of the Major League Soccer franchise after hanging up his boots, with his holdings valued above $300 million.
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