“Spend an hour of your time and give something”: How Tom Brady's high school habit inspired a blood donation drive that drew 20,000 donors and could save 60,000 lives

Tom Brady has spent years chasing records on the football field. But one habit he picked up long before his NFL career has nothing to do with touchdowns or Super Bowl rings. Brady has donated blood since high school. In Sept. 2024, he used that experience to encourage college football fans to do the same, joining a campaign that brought rival schools together for a cause bigger than the game.The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback teamed up with Abbott and the Big Ten Conference for the We Give Blood Drive. The campaign ran during the 2024 college football season and ended with nearly 20,000 people donating blood. Tom Brady reveals the high school habit behind his blood donation campaignBrady shared the personal story in an interview with Axios. TB12 explained that blood donation had been part of his life since his school days.“I've been giving blood since I was in high school,” Brady told Axios.One statistic particularly caught his attention. “The one stat that stood out to me was every person that donates saves up to three lives,” he said in the same interview.Brady also made the process sound straightforward. “You just go there and spend an hour of your time and give something that can really help a lot of people in need,” he told Axios.That was the point he wanted fans to take away. People do not need to be professional athletes or wealthy donors to help someone. Giving blood is a practical way to support patients who need transfusions after accidents, during cancer treatment or following childbirth complications.Brady's involvement also came as the United States faced a serious blood shortage. On September 26, 2024, the American Red Cross reported an emergency shortage after donations dropped during the summer. The campaign aimed to bring more people, especially younger donors, into the process.How Tom Brady's Big Ten blood drive raised $1 million for community healthAbbott and the Big Ten launched the We Give Blood Drive on September 26, 2024. The competition involved all 18 Big Ten universities, with students, alumni and fans donating blood in support of their chosen school.Each donation earned a point on the leaderboard. Abbott promised $1 million to the university that collected the most donations, with the money earmarked for student or community health projects.It gave college football fans another reason to back their school. Instead of cheering only for a win on Saturday, they could help their university climb the standings by donating blood.The competition ran through December 6, 2024, and Abbott announced the winner on December 7 at the Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game in Indianapolis.The University of Nebraska-Lincoln finished first and received the $1 million grant. Abbott reported that nearly 20,000 students, alumni and fans had donated blood during the campaign, potentially helping save as many as 60,000 lives.There was another encouraging result. Abbott said more than half of the donors at campus blood drives gave blood for the first time. That meant the campaign reached people who might not otherwise have considered donating.Brady did not need a football record to make his point. He brought attention to a habit he had kept since high school and helped connect it with a nationwide effort. The final numbers belonged to the thousands who showed up to donate, but his message was simple: an hour of your time could help someone who needs it.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.