Tom Brady showed his competitive spirit – and physical gifts – have not deserted him in retirement as he beat fans, celebrities and other athletes in the inaugural Fanatics Games.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion, who earned $332m in salary alone during his 23-year NFL career, won $1m for his efforts. However, he said he would give $5,000 to each of the 50 fans who competed in the event and donate the rest to charity.
“There is a competitive spirit that I have … I had to at least show up and not embarrass myself,” Brady said after his victory.
The competitors in the games, which took place at the Fanatics Fest in New York, took part in seven events including quarterback throwing skills, baseball pitching accuracy, soccer shooting, a golf challenge and a UFC striking competition. Brady finished second in the quarterback skills content, behind Texans QB CJ Stroud.
UFC fighter Justin Gaethje finished in second place overall and won a Ferrari. The highest-placed fan was Matt Dennish, a teacher from Pennsylvania, who ended the competition in third place. He won a rare LeBron James trading card, which he sold to Brady for $250,000.
“I was in first for a while, but Brady came in and crushed my score,” Dennish told NBC. “That was kind of frustrating too because I felt like I left points out there.”
NBA star James Harden and former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning finished fourth and fifth respectively. They were the only other athletes to finish in the top 10.
Brady jokingly ripped up Manning’s Giants jersey as part of his WWE-style entrance. Manning beat Brady twice in the Super Bowl.
