NFL legend Tom Brady is joining a new team’s front office — but it’s not that kind of football.
Brady, who retired from professional football in February after 23 seasons, has announced he will become the minority owner of English football club Birmingham City FC.
“You may be asking, “What do you know about football, Tom? Well, let’s just say I’ve got a lot to learn,” Brady said in a video posted to the club’s social media. “But I do know a few things about winning. I think they might translate pretty well. I know success starts with the work put in when the world isn’t watching.”
The seven-time Super Bowl champion will serve as the club’s Chairman of the Advisory Board, where he will advise on “health, nutrition, wellness, and recovery systems and programs” while also lending a hand with its marketing efforts.
Brady’s investment comes weeks after American hedge fund billionaire Tom Wagner was appointed Birmingham’s Chairman of the Board, the first steps in his takeover of the club.
Wagner, the co-founder of New York-based investment firm Knighthead Capital Management, praised Brady’s arrival as a “statement of intent.”
“We are setting the bar at world-class,” Wagner said in a statement. “Tom is both investing and committing his time and extensive expertise. As chair of the advisory board, Tom will have a direct impact on the Club. The Men’s, Women’s, and Academy teams are going to benefit from the knowledge.”
Brady was also part of the group led by Knighthead Capital for a Major League Pickleball expansion team for the 2023 season.
Birmingham City is one of 24 teams in the EFL Championship, the second-highest league in English football.
They finished in 17th place last season with 14 wins, 11 draws and 21 losses.
“I know that a team is nothing without the city that shows up and stands behind them,” Brady said. “Most importantly, I know I like being the underdog. The road’s been long for Birmingham. But these fans have never stopped believing.
“We’ve got a song that says no matter what you keep right on to the end of the road. And I’ll be on that road with you. I’ll see you at St. Andrews soon. It’s time to get to work. Let’s go.”