Tom Brady Respects Success Of Childhood Team As 49ers Win NFC Title

Before Tom Brady was winning championships with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he grew up loving football in California as an avid San Francisco 49ers fan.

While he certainly hasn’t returned to that full fandom in his retirement life, Brady still has plenty of respect for what the 49ers have built under head coach Kyle Shanahan. On Sunday, San Francisco overcame a 17-point halftime deficit to outlast the Detroit Lions in a 34-31 victory to advance to the Super Bowl. The win marked the second NFC title for the 49ers in the last five seasons.

“It’s a great organization they’re running,” Brady said on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday. “I really respect Kyle.”

Like Brady once did after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, the 49ers are led by an underdog quarterback in Brock Purdy. The Iowa State product took over the starting job in 2022 and led the team to the Super Bowl in a healthy postseason.

“Brock’s done a great job with the opportunity,” Brady shared. “He got it, and he’s taken advantage of it. He was a late-round pick. I know he’s got a chip on his shoulder. He wants to go out there every day and prove he’s the right fit for that team.”

Brady has had his fair share of “what if” moments with the 49ers in recent times, including reports that San Francisco attempted to lure him out of retirement last season.

“I kind of just kept my mind focused on where I wanted to go,” Brady added. “This was a great year for me to sit back and watch, learn and get ready for being in the Fox booth next year.”

The 49ers prepare to battle the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, giving Brady one more chance to watch a Super Bowl before broadcasting one with Fox Sports next season.