Monday, August 17, 2026

Tom Brady Wins, Even With Retirement

Tom-Brady
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

Tom Brady’s run as the GOAT is officially ending after announcing his retirement Tuesday morning on social media. While Brady’s time is up on the field, he walks away as the NFL’s all-time earnings leader.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion has reportedly made $293 million just from playing contracts during his 22 years in the NFL, according to Spotrac. Brady added another estimated $160 million off the field.

Peyton Manning, the NFL’s previous all-time earnings leader, retired in 2015 with a projected $400 million in career earnings on and off the field. Brady, the No. 9 highest-paid athlete on Forbes’ annual list, made a record $45 million off the field just this season.

Brady has endorsement deals with Fanatics, FTX, Hertz, Under Armour, Subway, and others.

Brady’s Bunch

The three-time league MVP has a footprint in a variety of industries.

  • Brady co-founded nutrition company TB12 and NFT platform Autograph, which recently raised $170 million.
  • The soon-to-be Hall of Famer also owns the media company 199 Productions and unveiled his own apparel line — BRADY — earlier this year.

Had Brady played in 2022, he would have earned $27.3 million in salary and bonuses, plus the leftover $15 million of his $20 million signing bonus. He would have also been guaranteed his entire salary on Feb. 18.

Now that he is retiring, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can retrieve up to $16 million of the bonus total and his salary would be voided.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Teams, Brands Troll Jayden Daniels After LSU Controversy

Daniels sent a cease-and-desist letter after LSU gave away his No. 5.
Kurt Warner
Exclusive

ESPN Closes In on Announce Teams for NFL Network Games

It remains “fluid” whether Jason Kelce will join some game broadcasts.
Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; CBS analyst J.J. Watt on the field before Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

J.J. Watt’s CBS Rise Could Reshape the NFL Analyst Pecking Order

Watt will serve as CBS’s top game analyst in Tony Romo’s absence.
Mar 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers majority owner Mark Walter and team executive Jeannie Buss in attendance at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit

In Sudden $12.5B Lakers Sale, Big Questions Remain

Why did Mark Walter flip the NBA’s crown jewel in 10 months?
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

A Conversation with Jessica Pegula on the US Open, WTA Sex Testing, and More.

0:00

Featured Today

Trendy Golf Hat Divide Is More Than a Fashion Fight

As golf has gotten trendier, so has the sport’s style.
Joey Spallina of the Maryland Whipsnakes
August 6, 2026

How Eye Black Became ‘War Paint’ on the Field

“You’re going into battle, doing something you only do on game days.”
August 6, 2026

Tom Brady Explains His Aggressive Push Into Trading Cards

Brady talked to FOS about his eponymous card company.
FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Indian Premier League - IPL - Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India - April 23, 2026 Mumbai Indians' Suryakumar Yadav in action
August 5, 2026

India Is Stealing Cricket’s Throne From England and Australia

India’s insatiable appetite for cricket has shifted the traditional locus of power.
WPBL
July 30, 2026

Who’s Playing Women’s Professional Baseball?

Sixty players from 11 countries are descending on Illinois for six weeks.
Exclusive

Vote Coming to Ease Tennis Stars’ Schedules

The vote will likely take place during the US Open.
First at FOS
August 13, 2026

Final Year of Brandon Clarke’s NBA Contract Voided After Death

Clarke died in May in Los Angeles. 
August 16, 2026

Scheffler Passes McIlroy, Pulls Behind Woods in Total Earnings

He can break Woods’s record at the BMW Championship in St. Louis.
Sponsored

Saints Great Turns to Ownership

Marques Colston discusses his Champions Fund launch and finding success after football.
Terrell Owens
August 13, 2026

Terrell Owens on Losing His Fortune: ‘Money Was Just Missing’

Owens says he eventually hired forensic accountants after discovering missing money.
August 10, 2026

How the Chicago Sky Found the League’s Biggest Revelation

Sydney Taylor went undrafted in 2024 and played two years in Europe.
August 7, 2026

Money Suddenly Floods NFL’s Running Back Market

The long-overlooked position gets a big jolt of new energy. 
August 7, 2026

Clippers, Leonard Had Sponsorship Deal With Daktronics: Report

Daktronics installed the Intuit Dome’s halo board.