Tom Brady Opens Up About ‘Guilt’ He Feels Being Away From His Wife And Kids To Play Football

Earlier this year, the seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady announced his retirement from the NFL, only to backtrack just a few weeks later and announce that he will indeed be playing another season.

While Brady is as passionate about football as ever, he’s also opening up in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight about the “guilt” that he feels that the sport has forced him to spend so much time away from his wife and three children.

Brady Praises His Family

Brady and his supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen share two children, Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, 9. He is also a father to 14-year-old John from his previous relationship with the “Blue Bloods” actress Bridget Moynahan. 

“Being available to your kids is really important… I feel like I’m so driven to succeed in football and that’s taken me away from other important priorities, which are my kids, my wife,” Brady confessed.

“She’s really held it down for our family,” he continued. “I’m super grateful that she really committed so much of her time the last 14 years to make sure everything was so stable at home, so I could go live my dream. I look back at my parents, and my dad and mom did the same thing for me.” 

Related: Tom Brady Confirms He’s Retiring – Fans Blame Wife Gisele Bündchen

Brady’s Dad ‘Guilt’

That’s when Brady admitted the “guilt” he feels that many working parents around the country will surely be able to relate to.

“I do feel, maybe, some guilt that I haven’t been able to do that in the same way for my kids, but I’m doing the best I can do,” he said. “I’m trying to be really conscious and aware of that, and then when I do have the time to spend with them, I’m really present.” 

Though he acknowledges this guilt, Brady tries hard not to let it impact him when he’s spending time with his family. Instead, he tries to make the moments count when they are together by being as present as possible.

“We’re all trying to make it through our challenging lives, and we have priorities, and we have jobs and relationships… I think prioritization has been the key for me,” he explained. “I want to try to spend my time with, when I’m focused on my job, my job, when I’m focused on my family, my family. All those things I’m trying to get better and better at.”

Related: Tom Brady Reveals Real Reason He’s Coming Out Of Retirement And Returning To NFL

Brady Focused On NFL Return

When he isn’t focusing on his family, Brady is committed to preparing his body for the start of the NFL season later this year.

“It’s still some time to get to that point,” Brady said of the season starting. “I feel like I’m still kind of getting my body where it needs to be. It’s a big commitment. I think the best part about doing it is always doing it with your teammates. I’ve got a great group of teammates.”

Brady may make millions of dollars in the NFL, but in the end, he’s just like any other parent out there who struggles with working to provide his children with the best life possible, while also wanting to be home with them as much as he can. We’re sure that Brady’s children will ultimately appreciate the many sacrifices that he’s made for them along the way!