Is Tom Brady a Christian?

Answer: No

Disclaimer: It is not our role to determine whether or not somebody is a Christian. We just use our discernment based on the evidence we have found on the internet to come to a likely or best-guess answer. Our answers do not actually determine who is or is not a Christian and it is ultimately between the person and God. Not us.

New England Patriots quarterback, Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. popularly known as Tom Brady is an NFL football quarterback and among the top names in the American National Football League. 

The Five-time NFL champion is now considered the best quarterback of all time in the league and has played the game for 23 seasons. Tom played with the New England Patriots for 20 seasons before joining Tampa Bay Buccaneers to play his remaining three seasons.

Tom Brady was married to a Brazilian model, Gisele Bündchen, but got divorced in 2022 after being together for 13 years. All through his career, Tom has received a good number of awards, trophies, and recognition. He has 7 Super Bowl champion titles to his name, received the NFL’s most valuable player award three times, and has 5 Super Bowl MVP titles among others.

Apart from being in the news for football reasons, Tom Brady is one of the few celebrities that are not ashamed to discuss faith and religious beliefs with fans. The quarterback, despite not identifying with a particular religious group recently, is rumored to be a Catholic. If you are curious about the religious stance of Brady, you are on the right page. This article will analyze relevant factors to provide answers to clear your doubts.

Is Tom Brady Religious?

Brady publicly talks about his faith and many already assume he is a religious person. In a 2016 interview with GQ Magazine, Brady made some revelations about his faith. According to the sports star: “Faith is the most important thing in my life. I’ve been very fortunate to have a lot of success in my career, but it’s because of my relationship with Jesus Christ,” Without that, I wouldn’t have anything.”

Tom Brady was brought up in a religious home which has somehow influenced his lifestyle and beliefs. His parents were devout Catholics. While talking to New York Times in 2017, he revealed that he tries to live his life according to biblical teachings. In his words:

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with trying to be a good person. I think that’s what the Bible teaches us. Be loving, be compassionate, be forgiving.”

Tom Brady disclosed in a 2015 interview with New York Times writer, Mark Leibovich that he is open to different religions and belief systems after the writer questioned him for having a Menorah, a Jewish symbol in his home. According to him: 

“We’re not Jewish,’ Brady said when I asked him about this. ‘But I think we’re into everything. I don’t know what I believe. I think there’s a belief system, I’m just not sure what it is. He was also reported to have had a four-inch bronze idol of the Hindu god, Ganesh in his locker.”

Brady is also known to build and maintain good relationships with deeply religious people. He revealed that his trainer is a Mormon and serves as his counselor, adviser, therapist, and godfather. Due to these affiliations and other practices, some people see Tom Brady as a religious person, but he claims that he’s rather spiritual and not religious.

Does Tom Brady believe in God?

Certain statements by Tom Brady could suggest that the American footballer believes in God. He had already disclosed that faith is important to him but was uncertain about what he believed in, though he understood there is an existing belief system.

In a 2015 report by Daily Article, Jim Denison tried to analyze Brady’s comment that “football does not matter to God.” Here, Brady shows that he believes in God and there are things one can take to God but football isn’t one of them because he is not sure if God cares about who wins a football competition.

“Look at the attention I get. It’s because I throw a football.  But that’s what society values.  That’s not what God values.  He didn’t invent the game.  We did.  I have some hand-eye coordination, and I can throw the ball.  I don’t think that matters to God.”

Aaron Rodgers, who was also a part of the interview added: “I don’t think God cares a whole lot about the outcome.  He cares about the people involved, but I don’t think he’s a big football fan.”

Is Tom Brady a Christian?

Christianity according to John 13:34-35 implies that a true Christian must live according to Christian values, usually characterized by active love for others.

Jesus said in John 13:34, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” 

The Bible describes Christianity in James 1:27 as “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Although not officially confirmed, many assume Tom Brady is a Christian because the athlete openly talks about his faith and his relationship with Jesus. He also mentioned that he tries to live his life according to biblical teachings by trying to be a good person, loving, compassionate, and forgiving.

Brady may have tilted a bit from deep Christian practices, the star was raised in a Christian home by devout Catholic parents. Tom Brady’s father at a point even thought of becoming a Catholic priest but he later changed his mind. Brady attended a Catholic high school which means that a lot of Christian values have been imbibed in the NFL quarterback.

Tom Brady got married to his ex-wife at a catholic church in 2009. His ex-wife and model Bündchen was also raised in a catholic home and she mentioned in a chat with Vanity Fair that her husband was a catholic as well. According to the model:

“He’s very close to his family. He’s Catholic. His parents have been married for 40 years. He’s got a pure heart. That’s all that matters–he’s got the purest heart. I feel grateful because I have a lot of love in my life. I found the person I’m sharing my life with. I have a good man.”

Though Brady has shied away from identifying with a particular religious group lately but rather mentioned that he believes in everything, it is obvious that his lifestyle has been influenced by Christian principles as perceived in his utterances and actions. 

Is Tom Brady Baptized?

As a doctrine, Catholics are usually baptized at infancy or young age and since Tom Brady was raised in a Christian home by Catholic parents, it is beyond doubt that the athlete was baptized into the Catholic church.

What did Tom Brady say about Jesus Christ?

As someone that has publicly shown religious affiliations, and was raised as a Christian, Tom Brady has made several utterances about Jesus Christ, who is the central figure of Christianity.

In a 2007 interview with Boston Globe, the quarterback made a statement about Jesus when asked how he feels ranking as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, his comment was: 

“You know, that’s hard to say. You don’t want to get too ahead of yourself, but when all is said and done I’m hopeful that I’ll rank right up there with the best. I mean, Jesus never threw six touchdowns in a single game, did he?”

This statement triggered different reactions from Christians as some got angry because they felt ego has led him to compare himself with Jesus Christ. 

Tom Brady shared the prayer below on his Instagram page. The prayer was said by MacArthur but it seems Tom meant the same for his sons as he shared it with images of his 15-year-old son, Jack, and his 13 years old Benjamin. The athlete can be seen asking Jesus to intercede and groom his sons.

“Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know Thee….Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenges. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a son whose heart will be clean, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, and the meekness of true strength. Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, ‘I have not lived in vain.’”

Conclusion 

Tom Brady has always identified as a pro-religious person, though he hasn’t categorically stated that he is a Christian. However, many sources have revealed that he was born and raised in a Christian home, meaning that he has affiliations with Christianity. To further buttress this point, we found out that Tom got married to his ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen in a Catholic church and even attended a Catholic high school. However, we are not sure Brady still practices Christianity due to the recent public comments by the athlete.

Think we were wrong? Write your reasoning in the comments and prove us wrong!