Tom Brady has given up a lot to still be at the top of his game entering what will be his age-39 season, but he doesn’t view those changes as sacrifices.
The New England Patriots quarterback’s crazy-strict eating habits are well known, but it goes far beyond that. And the reason Brady does it is pretty simple.
“As you get older, you have more responsibilities, you have more commitments, more events, kids, you’re married now,” Brady said Monday, per ABC News. “You still have all the things that you’ve had, plus you just keep adding. I got a lot.”
“Because my career is so important, I think I make a lot of, I wouldn’t call them sacrifices, but just concessions for my job,” Brady added. “I love what I do, and I want to do it for a long time.”
Brady goes to bed by 8:30 p.m. and is up by 5:30 a.m. He doesn’t make as much time for friends and socializing. But it’s all to help keep up the fact he’s one-of-a-kind.
“I have to make different choices — there’s no other 39-year-olds playing now at quarterback,” Brady said. “So you better do things a little differently. I try to not eat as much sugar, but it’s so hard in our American diet to do that. … It’s hard to completely avoid. I don’t drink much alcohol.”
Brady’s not all work and no play, though. He said he likes to surf, golf and spend time with his family in the offseason. Still, it’s hard for him to find downtime during the NFL season.
“During the season, most of my time to unwind is in my car ride home,” Brady said. “When I get home, it’s being with my kids. There’s not much time to unwind, but you know what, it’s because I love what I do. I look forward to the season. I look forward to playing games. It doesn’t ever feel like work.”
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
