Don’t worry about Tom Brady — he’s doing just fine in his first football-free summer.
As another NFL season quickly approaches, the seven-time Super Bowl champion exclusively talked with PEOPLE about the first summer he’s had to himself since retiring from football after 23 seasons.
“I’m taking it every day just one day at a time,” Brady tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I love my time with my family and trying to get some work things done. I’m still staying pretty busy,” he adds.
The retired quarterback is the father of three. He shares son John “Jack” Edward Thomas, 15, with actress Bridget Moynahan, and two children with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen — Benjamin Rein, 13, and Vivian Lake, 10.
Brady confirmed he has “a lot” of fun-filled plans with the family this summer, following his Grecian getaway earlier this month. “We have some travels coming up, some family vacations,” he says of his upcoming excursions.
Although Brady doesn’t have the pre-season training sessions looming ahead of the 2023 NFL season anymore, there is another commitment creeping up on his calendar as the summer swiftly goes by — but this time, it’s in his kids’ field.
“It’s funny, this month is already almost over so they’re almost halfway through the summer and they’re back to school in August,” Brady marvels. Therefore, he says “just spending quality time with them” is his main priority at the moment and in the months that follow.
In addition to traveling with his family and spending quality time with his kids, the football legend is enjoying his summer by giving back to children across the country with Merch Madness, Fanatics’ inaugural donation event that became the largest one-day charitable merchandise giveaway ever.
Led by CEO Michael Rubin and hosted in several cities throughout the United States — including Miami, NYC, Los Angeles and Dallas — Merch Madness donated more than 300,000 pieces of licensed apparel to approximately 100,000 underserved youth and their families in nearly 100 different locations across the country.
“I think for us to come here and be here, here for them and to have some fun with them is a great day for us too,” Brady tells PEOPLE exclusively from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami on Tuesday morning. “In the end, the more you do, the more people give back. It’s the way it should be.”
Joining Brady in his charitable endeavor were DJ Khaled and Odell Beckham Jr., who participated with the kids in some epic football drills, like running plays and throwing passes during the event.
“We were having fun. I think I broke a sweat,” Brady admits. “It’s the most footballs I’ve thrown in about eight months.”
The licensed merchandise donated to the kids featured a combination of fan jerseys, t-shirts, hoodies, hats and jackets from participating organizations such as the New England Patriots, Philadelphia 76ers, Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and more.
In fact, Brady recalled a memorable piece of 49ers merch he received as a kid growing up. “I was a big San Francisco 49ers fan,” he tells PEOPLE.
“I got a pair of Converse shoes, and I had them signed by my two favorite… well, two of my favorite 49ers, Tom Rathman and Roger Craig.” He admits, “I thought it was the coolest thing in the world.”
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