When Tom Brady retired in February this year after posting an emotional 53-second video, fans didn’t entirely buy into the finality of the decision. Especially because he opened the door of a return when he came out of his 2022 retirement only 40 days after announcing it. Fans were expecting a similar announcement this time. Instead, something else came, and that gave them even bigger hopes. Brady announced that he will not be joining his Fox Sports job until 2024. And everyone assumed that meant another year on the gridiron. However, looks as though TB12 had his mind set on his entrepreneurial ventures and not a footballing return.

In August 2021, Brady partnered with Dillon Rosenblatt and Josh Payne to launch Autograph IO. Autograph is a unique NFT platform where fans can buy digital assets. The only difference is that this exclusive non-fungible token also bears the autograph of their favorite athlete. And Brady is all in on this venture, including the ‘Huddle’ recently.

Tom Brady and the Autograph Journey

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady has signed autographs in the strangest of places and situations. TB12 discussed it on a Discord community chat with his longtime friend and teammate, Rob Gronkowski. Brady signed a fan’s forearm, while his NE Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end weapon autographed a bunch of foreheads during football camp. However, these days, it’s not as hard to get signed memorabilia from your favorite athletes as it used to be; courtesy of Tom Brady’s Autograph.

ALSO READ: Two Months After His Own Announcement, Tom Brady Welcomes Super Bowl-winning Teammate Into Retirement Club

Trending

Patrick Mahomes’ NFL Commitment Frustrates Randi Mahomes as Mom Admits Lack of Family Time With Chiefs QB

May 14, 2024 03:35 AM EDT

Randi Mahomes Makes Bittersweet Admission Before Asking Patrick Mahomes to Call Her

May 14, 2024 02:55 AM EDT

After Hitting $30K Jackpot in Vegas With Shedeur, Deion Sanders Jr. Visits ‘The Craziest Place He’s Ever Seen’ to Enjoy His Vacation

May 14, 2024 01:40 PM EDT

Deion Sanders Sets the Record Straight On Shedeur & Shilo’s $7,000,000 Mansion Purchase for Him

May 13, 2024 09:12 PM EDT

Millionaire Deion Sanders Jr. Shows off His $30,000 Gambling Winnings During Lavish Las Vegas Trip With Brother Shedeur

May 13, 2024 07:45 PM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NFL stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Brady saw the potential in the celebrity NFT ecosystem like many other top athletes like LeBron James and Steph Curry. The NFT market has grown from a $210 million industry in 2019 to a $17.7 billion industry in 2023. Autograph has turned out to be a big player in the sector as they closed a Series B round in January 2022 valued at $170 million.

Brady helped Autograph rope in many other big names on board like Apple’s Senior VP Eddy Cue, Naomi Osaka, Paul Liberman (DraftKings co-founder), and LA Dodgers owner Peter Guber.

Fox can make TB12 richer for now

Shortly after retiring, the iconic quarterback appeared in an interview with Colin Cowherd. There, he clarified that he won’t be starting his FOX Sports broadcasting job until the fall of 2024. However, Brady stands to make a whopping $375 million over 10 years in his contract with the network giants.

Instead, Autograph recently organized Brady’s unofficial retirement party/signature experience titled the Huddle. The Huddle is a collaboration with the QB, where fans can participate in community chats, exclusive collaborations, and invite-only IRL events. Also, they get Autograph merchandise- both physical and digital. “Still can’t believe what an amazing ride I had with my Autograph community this past season. Looking back at what we built together, I couldn’t be more grateful. Looking ahead to everything yet to come, I couldn’t be more excited. We’ve got even bigger things in store,” Brady tweeted. 

Surely, with this much at stake, Brady couldn’t delve into the world of broadcasting. Although Fox’s offer is slightly better by current standards. Also, with the damage his $250 million net worth took because of the bad FTX investments, Brady could have found it hard to turn down the lucrative Autograph experience.

WATCH THIS STORY: Tom Brady shares a special message for his niece as she shows off her softball skills