Tom Brady, a father of three and a legendary quarterback, has weighed in on the ongoing conversation about balancing family and professional sports. In his latest newsletter, he expressed confusion over pro golfer Scottie Scheffler's assertion that he must choose between being a good father and a successful golfer.
“Scottie said he’d rather be a better father and husband than a good golfer,” Brady noted, questioning the necessity of such a choice. “Why are those mutually exclusive? They’re different blocks on the pyramid, but they’re part of the same pyramid. They’re connected!”
Brady, who shares son Jack, 17, with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan, and has two children, Vivian, 12, and Benjamin, 15, with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen, emphasized the importance of setting an example for his children through his dedication to football. “I think part of being a great father is being a great example of doing what it takes to take care of your family,” he elaborated. “My dedication to the sport, the hours of practice—those were times when I believe I was doing the best possible thing for my family.”
These remarks come after Scheffler, 29, shared his perspective during media day before the Open Championship in Northern Ireland. He stated that while he values his golf career, his role as a husband and father takes precedence. “This is not a fulfilling life,” Scheffler remarked at the July 15 press conference. “It’s fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it’s not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart… If my golf ever started affecting my home life or my relationship with my wife or my son, that’s going to be the last day that I play out here for a living.”
Brady responded by outlining his own hierarchy of priorities, placing himself at the top, followed by his partner and children, with work following. He acknowledged the need to shift focus among these priorities as circumstances change. “The trick is recognizing which aspect of your life is most pressing, from moment to moment,” he advised. “Then learning how to prioritize what it takes to be great in that aspect when it matters.”
As Scheffler and his wife Meredith embrace parenthood with their newborn son Bennett, the dialogue surrounding family versus career continues to resonate within the sports community.
