Tom Brady Admits Parenting Struggles: 'We Screw These Kids Up'

Tom Brady admits he’s ‘screwed up’ as a father, says modern parents ‘screw these kids up’ (Getty Images)Parenting may come with joy and pride, but it’s rarely a smooth ride — even for someone as disciplined as Tom Brady. The seven-time Super Bowl champion last year opened up about his parenting struggles, candidly admitting that he’s far from perfect when it comes to raising his three kids.During Fortune’s Global Forum in New York City, the retired NFL icon spoke with striking honesty about the pressures of modern parenting and how overprotectiveness may be doing more harm than good.Brady reflected on both his personal parenting journey and broader societal trends, expressing concern that today’s generation of parents shields their children too much from failure. “Think of today’s world, how we screw these kids up,” he told Fortune editor-in-chief Alyson Shontell.“Every time they mess up, we send them to an easier place to succeed.”Tom Brady called out modern parenting for overprotecting kidsThe father of three — Jack, 18, Benjamin, 15, and Vivian, 12 — shared that he’s made his own mistakes as a parent. “Being a parent is probably the hardest job all of us have and we screw up a lot,” Brady said. “And I’ve screwed up a lot as a parent.” Despite his fame and success, Brady admitted he’s still figuring things out, noting that he’s no “expert in parenting,” but someone who’s constantly learning and trying to do better.He believes that resilience comes from facing adversity, not avoiding it. Recalling his early football days, Brady shared, “When I was that long shot as a kid who was a backup quarterback, they never said, ‘Man, don’t do that, it’ll be too hard, think about another backup plan.’ They said, go for it—that’s probably my parenting style.”The former quarterback also pointed out that many children today are rarely pushed beyond their comfort zones.“They’re told they’re great; people coddle them; they never have to push beyond their limits,” he said, emphasizing the need for kids to experience setbacks in order to grow stronger.Tom Brady opened up about fatherhood challengesWhile Brady’s success on the field is legendary, he revealed that parenting has been his toughest challenge. The football star said he empathizes deeply with his sons’ struggles. “To be a boy, it sucks to be Tom Brady’s son in so many ways and I try to empathize that with them,” he shared.Brady acknowledged that his children face immense expectations due to his legacy. Yet, he remains committed to guiding them through their own challenges just as his parents did for him. “My kids naturally are gonna be faced with their own challenges, and they gotta figure out how to overcome them, too. And I’ll be there to support them a lot like my parents did.”In an era where many parents rush to make life easier for their children, Tom Brady’s words serve as a powerful reminder: the real lessons — and strength — are often found in failure, not comfort.Also Read:"It Hurts": Eli Manning’s adorable Halloween heartbreak goes viral after his son’s surprising Jaxson Dart costume choiceCatch Lovlina Borgohain's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5. Watch Here