Tom Brady homecoming a win-win with family and friends
Tom Brady had plenty on his plate over the weekend. Playing football in his own backyard for the first time in 17 years meant making time for family, friends, former teammates, and coaches. Ultimately delivering a 30-17 beat down on the hapless San Francisco 49ers was probably less of a challenge than getting some quick face time with the bus load of buddies waiting to see him after the game.
” Postgame I probably had 50 to 60 people to say hello to,” Brady told the Kirk and Callahan show this morning on WEEI radio. “I don’t get to the Bay Area very often, and don’t get to see the same people I grew up on the same block or went to high school with.”
In less than 48 hours, Brady flew 3,ooo miles across the country, attended team meetings, played and won a game, fulfilled his media obligations AND squeezed in an afternoon of good old family fun in the house where he was raised.
“Where we stayed in Redwood City is only about five minutes away from where my parents live. So I was able to go over on Saturday and all my sisters came over and all my nieces and nephews.” (Can you imagine being a kid growing up and telling your friends ‘Tom Brady is my uncle’? )
“I got a chance for maybe 3 or 4 hours to be in the house where I grew up and spend time with my parents. It was a great Saturday afternoon.”
Technically this was not the first time Brady has been on the field at Levi Stadium. Brady was honored with other football greats last February during halftime of Super Bowl 50. With Deflategate still going full throttle, Brady was roundly booed when his name was announced. In what was clearly a jeer heard all over the world, Brady told Gerry Callahan he had no idea.
“You know, when I went out there I didn’t even know I got booed. I walked out and kind of put my hand up. I was next to Terrill Davis and he was kind of laughing,” Brady said. “Afterward I heard everyone was booing, and I said, ‘they were?’ So ignorance is bliss I guess.”
Tom Brady returned to the place where he fell in love with football watching and idolizing Joe Montana. Another Super Bowl win will break the record of his childhood hero Montana, along with another great Terry Bradshaw.
That little kid from San Mateo is now 39 years old. Tom Brady is not slowing down. He just keeps getting better, and is right on course to be the best.
