Joe Montana doesn't have as many Super Bowl rings. When you compare him to Peyton Manning head-to-head, Manning was a different player. You can try (and fail) to make the case that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is better, too.
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Try as you might, no one measures up to Tom Brady as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. At 45 years old, Brady yet against made the playoffs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his 23rd NFL season before hanging up his cleats after his run ended. He posted an emotional video to Twitter confirming his tenure as the GOAT was over.
That being said, how much money has the greatest QB of all time actually stacked up now that he's done?
The GOAT signal caller holds career passing records in passing completions, attempts, passing yards, touchdowns and owns a top-10 passer rating in league history.
The sixth-round draft pick from the University of Michigan Wolverines grew up in San Mateo, California, starred at Junipero Serra High School and attended San Francisco 49ers games as a kid. He then became the NFL's "Golden Child," and over nearly two decades, he thrived wearing the red, white and blue for the New England Patriots.
At the time of his retirement, Brady owns a 251-82 career record as a starting quarterback, including 19 seasons winning at least 10 games as a starter, which is easily the most ever.
The 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft built a fortune just like his NFL career: methodically. He did it "The Patriot Way," and still has enough money to make you sit up in your chair. Here's how it all came together for one of the greatest NFL players ever.
Tom Brady's NFL Career Earnings: Most in NFL History
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According to Spotrac, Brady stacked up a whopping $332,962,392 through the 23 seasons of his NFL career in salary, incentives and various bonuses on his contracts. That's more than any player in NFL history, and that doesn't include any off-field endorsements.
After leaving the Patriots, Brady signed a two-year deal worth $50 million with the Buccaneers. The American football quarterback inked a one-year extension with the Bucs last year and promptly called it a career afterward... or so we thought. Brady backtracked on his retirement announcement, signing a deal with a $1.12 million in base salary, with the majority of the money in the deal coming from a $13.88 million roster bonus spread out over a reported five years.
Adding even more intrigue to Brady's decision to return to the NFL was the reporting of his 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox Sports to become an NFL Analyst for the network. That deal has since been put on hold as Brady returned to the field to take care of some "unfinished business."
Back in 2000, Brady earned $231,000, which included a $38,500 signing bonus. I don't know about you, but even though that's crumbs compared to the NFL's highest-paid players like Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes or Buffalo's Josh Allen, I'd gladly take that for two decades. Brady's success, and allure as a New England and NFL legend, slowly built, and so did his salary.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion's rookie contract was a paltry three-year, $866,500 deal. In August 2001 during the offseason, the Patriots gave him a four-year contract extension worth almost $30 million, per ESPN. The rest of his winnings and contracts are history.
Brady bought into owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick's "Patriot Way," getting involved in various contract renegotiations and pay cuts throughout his career so the team had more salary cap space free for other players. That resulted in six Super Bowl titles, four Super Bowl MVPs, three NFL MVP awards and a whole lot more money in TB12's pockets.
At 41, he became the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl when he knocked off the Los Angeles Rams. He broke his record at 43 in Super Bowl LV.
Brady's Lucrative Endorsements and Investments
In 2012, People named Brady to the magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive' list as a representative for the entire state of Michigan. With a reputation like that, there have been a ton of opportunities for endorsements, and Brady has capitalized in a big way off the football field.
Beats by Dr. Dre, Ugg Boots, Under Armour, Tag Heuer, Movado, Aston Martin and Glaceau Smartwater have all featured Brady as part of various campaigns, and Forbes estimated in 2022 that Brady makes around $52 million in endorsement deals. He's also built on his TB12 lifestyle brand.
Plus, the 15-time Pro Bowl QB's now famous "TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Peak Performance," which is available for sale as a home trainer, figures to add onto his already massive amount of off-the-field earnings.
Brady, however, stood to potentially lose a huge chunk of money when cryptocurrency exchange FTX went bankrupt. Brady holds over 1.1 million common shares, which is reportedly worth $45 million.
How His Money Compares to Gisele Bündchen
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While Tom's Ugg endorsement pays well, his ex-wife Gisele Bündchen's long list of deals pays more.
The highest-paid model in the world in 2014 is a mother of son Benjamin and daughter Vivian Lake, and has ranked on Forbes list as one of the most powerful women in the world. The Brazilian supermodel happens to sport an estimated net worth around $400 million.
Endorsements from Chanel, Versace, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors, Christian Dior and Victoria's Secret certainly helps the bottom line, huh?
Including stints as a model, acting in "Taxi" (2004) and "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006), Gisele has built a reputation all across the world not only for her working career, but her charitable work, too. She's worked with Save the Children, Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.
Brady previously dated actress Bridget Moynahan before getting together with Gisele. They share a son named Jack.
Tom Brady's Net Worth is a Whole Lot of Coin
All told, Tom Brady's net worth is an estimated $250 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Tom formerly said that he planned on playing until he is 45, which is how old he is now, earning more than $300 million in contracts over his career.
Together, Tom and Gisele are worth $650 million, which explains why they divorce has been more than just "Page Six" gossip, occasionally tipping to "New York Times" financial reporting coverage. As for the couple's real estate portfolio, they previously owned a $4.5 million, custom-built home outside of Boston in Brookline, Massachusetts, before selling it and renting New York Yankees legend and Miami Marlins CEO Derek Jeter's mansion for a brief period in Tampa, Florida. They continue to be one of the most influential power couples in the world.
The 45-year-old former NFL quarterback is a surefire Hall of Fame candidate even if you consider any cheating scandal in his past. The sporting world might as well dust off Michael Jordan's "Greatest Athlete of All Time" hat because Thomas Brady has come for the title.
This article was originally published November 13, 2018 but has been updated since.