“I’ve screwed up a lot”: Tom Brady's emotional confession about fatherhood, his three kids and the parenting lessons he’s still learning away from the NFL spotlight

Tom Brady has seven Super Bowl rings, but he does not pretend he has fatherhood figured out. On Nov. 12, 2024, the former NFL quarterback spoke about parenting at the Fortune Global Forum in New York City. Brady admitted he has made mistakes while raising his three children, Jack, Benjamin and Vivian. His focus now is simple: stay dependable, support his kids and keep learning as they grow.Tom Brady admits fatherhood has come with plenty of mistakesDuring his Fortune Global Forum appearance on Nov. 12, 2024, Brady called parenting one of the hardest jobs people take on. He also pushed back on the idea that his NFL success makes him an expert father.“Being a parent is probably the hardest job all of us have and we screwed up a lot and I’ve screwed up a lot as a parent,” Brady said at the event.He then explained what he tries to give his three children instead of a perfect parenting formula. Brady said he wants to be “dependable and consistent” for them.Brady also spoke about the pressure his children face because of their family name. During his June 2, 2023 interview with TODAY.com, he said his children did not choose the expectations that come with having famous parents. He wants them to find something they enjoy and build friendships with people who value them for who they are, not because of their parents.That approach fits with something he said earlier about raising his children. TB-12 told Entertainment Tonight that he and Gisele Bündchen wanted to give Benjamin and Vivian a strong foundation as they grew up. He said they were still learning alongside their children. Tom Brady wants his children to build their own pathsBrady also understands the pressure that comes with his surname. His children have grown up with a father whose NFL career includes seven Super Bowl wins, so expectations can follow them before they make their own choices.Jack, Brady’s eldest son with Bridget Moynahan, has also taken a different sporting path from his father. At the Nov. 12, 2024 Fortune event, Brady spoke about Jack’s interest in basketball. He joked about his son’s jumping ability but made his support clear.“I want him to know that his dad’s got his back,” Brady said at the forum.Brady has also spoken about the pressure his children face because of their parents. In a June 2, 2023 interview with TODAY.com, he said his children face expectations because of who their mother and father are, even though they never chose that spotlight.His message has stayed consistent: his children need room to become themselves.For Brady, that also means accepting that parenting will keep changing. He cannot use an NFL playbook to handle every moment with Jack, Benjamin and Vivian. Instead, he says he wants to stay present, support their choices and learn with them as they grow.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.