Former American football star Tom Brady has expressed regret over the outcome of his appearance on Netflix’s “The Greatest Roast of All Time” and how the jokes were a hard hit for his children.
“I loved when the jokes were about me. I thought they were so fun,’ he said. “I didn’t like the way that it affected my kids,” said the former quarterback on an episode of “The Pivot Podcast,” released on May 14, alongside Fred Taylor, Ryan Clark, and Channing Crowder.
During the roast on the show, Mr. Brady took some hits for his appearance, his on-and-off retirements from football, and his FTX investment, among others. However, his divorce from Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen was the icing on the cake.
The show—livestreamed on Netflix on May 5—was hosted by comedian Kevin Hart. Among those roasting Mr. Brady were some of his former teammates, friends, and comedians, including Jeff Ross and Nikki Glaser, the latter of whom was named “winner of the roast.”
And it was his divorce from Ms. Bündchen that provided lots of fodder during the show, much of which felt like a kick in the teeth for Mr. Brady, who said what really got to him is how it affected those nearest and dearest to him.
“It was the bittersweet aspect of when you’re doing something you think is one way and then all of a sudden you realize I wouldn’t do that again because of the way it affected actually the people I care about the most in the world,” he said.
Mr. Brady and Ms. Bündchen formally announced the end of their relationship in October 2022. The couple had two children—Benjamin, 14, and Vivian, 11.
While Mr. Brady brushed off most of the jokes with a smile, he came to realize afterward that some of it likely didn’t go as intended, which made him reassess how he should address the issue with his children.
“It makes you in some ways a better parent going through it because sometimes you’re naïve,” adding, “It’s a good lesson for me as a parent; I’m gonna be a better parent as I go forward because of it.”
Mr. Brady’s extensive football career spanned more than two decades. Before his first retirement in 2022, he won seven Super Bowl rings—six with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
His career also boasts a five-time Super Bowl MVP as well as three NFL MVP awards.
He officially retired in 2023 after he reversed his initial decision and ended up playing one more season with the Buccaneers.
Nonetheless, Mr. Brady got his own back during the roast when he ended the show with an iconic response to people who asked him why he chose to get roasted on the show.
“It’s simple,” Mr. Brady said. “I can take all the hits. I would have done this earlier, but I’ve been too busy winning championships,” he quipped.
During the podcast, Mr. Brady also discussed how personal growth and self-reflection were an important part of how he had become as a father and in his interactions with family, and how his own upbringing by his parents had shaped his career and inspired him to become successful.