Tom Brady understands sacrifices need to be made in order to win championships, including financial ones.
Brady has developed a propensity for taking pay cuts throughout his nearly two-decade tenure with the New England Patriots. The quarterback’s selflessness has paid off, as the franchise has won six Super Bowl titles dating back to the 2001 NFL season.
That’s not to say Brady isn’t paid handsomely. While his recent base salaries have been relative bargains for the Patriots, Brady can more than make up for it through endorsements and other avenues. It also doesn’t hurt being married to one of the most legendary supermodels in history.
“I think the thing I’ve always felt for me and my life is winning has been a priority, and my wife makes a lot of money, so, I’m a little smarter than you think,” Brady said Thursday on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Brady continued: “Actually it’s a salary cap and you can only spend so much and the more one guy gets is less for others. I think for a competitive advantage standpoint I’d like to get a lot of good players around me.”
The 41-year-old currently is slated to account for a $27 million salary cap hit for the 2019 season, which would be the highest of his career. Most expect that number to be lowered via an extension, but the two sides have yet to rework his deal. This is pretty surprising, as Brady has never entered the final year of his contract without extending prior.
If Brady truly intends to play into his mid-40s like he says, a new contract, obviously, will need to be ironed out. It’s safe to assume it will be team-friendly, as the Patriots QB clearly is more motivated by championship rings than dollar signs.
