What Has Tom Brady Actually Accomplished With His Bold English Soccer Venture?

Seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady's tenure as a minority owner of English soccer club Birmingham City lasted just three years, a period marked by controversy, trophies and high-profile derbies.

Brady became the latest celebrity investor to pour money into a struggling overseas soccer club back in August 2023. Following the path blazed by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the former New England Patriots quarterback joined the Knighthead takeover alongside close friend and business partner Tom Wagner at Championship side Birmingham City.

By November 2026, the Blues confirmed Brady had sold his shares and departed the club. "Birmingham City Football Club expresses its sincere gratitude to Tom Brady for his involvement with and unwavering support for the club over the last three years," the club said in an official statement.

"It was truly remarkable to have someone with Tom's experience and passion connected to the club, and we look forward to continuing to build on that foundation both on the training ground and within the Birmingham community."

The Telegraph reported that Brady was struggling to balance his responsibilities as an NFL color commentator with his duties as a Birmingham co-owner. He also holds a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders and the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces. In the end, the 49-year-old felt it was "the best time to move on."

The Highs and Lows of Brady's Birmingham Experiment

Brady's introduction to English soccer was a rough one. When he first came on board, Birmingham were comfortably placed in the Championship, England's second division. However, the 2023–24 season quickly unraveled.

The club dismissed England and Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney after just 83 days at the helm, following a dreadful run of results that pushed Birmingham dangerously close to the relegation zone. The managerial change failed to turn things around, and the Blues finished the season in 22nd place with only 13 wins from 46 matches.

Brady hadn't even completed a full year as an owner before watching his club drop down to League One. The NFL icon, whose name had always been synonymous with success, suddenly found himself making headlines for all the wrong reasons after a dismal debut season in the soccer world.

Birmingham and Brady rebounded strongly in 2024–25, claiming the League One title with a record-breaking 111 points. The Blues secured automatic promotion back to the Championship, where they currently sit at the top of the table with 29 points.

There's still a long road ahead before Birmingham can seriously entertain thoughts of Premier League football, but they are clearly heading in the right direction — which may be part of why Brady felt comfortable stepping away at this particular moment.

Brady's Short-Lived Stint Brought More Eyes to Soccer

We're living in an era where A-list celebrities and American sports stars are eager to get involved in soccer ownership. NBA legend LeBron James helped kick off the trend with his investment in Liverpool back in 2011, but it was Reynolds and McElhenney's remarkable turnaround at Wrexham that truly inspired other high-profile figures to follow suit.

Former NFL star J.J. Watt and his wife Kealia Watt hold minority stakes in Burnley. Two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant owns a share of Paris Saint-Germain. NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recently joined Atlético Madrid's ownership group.

For clubs like Liverpool, PSG and Atlético Madrid, celebrity investors do little to grow an already enormous global fanbase. But for smaller clubs grinding away in the lower tiers of English soccer — like Wrexham, Burnley and Birmingham — the presence of a figure like Brady naturally draws attention to teams that most Americans would never have heard of otherwise.

Brady's involvement generated unprecedented media coverage for Birmingham. Suddenly, major U.S. outlets were tracking a League One club simply because Brady was spotted in the stands or featured in a documentary series about the team.

Then came the Wrexham effect. With both the Red Dragons and Birmingham competing in League One, their meetings quickly became known as "Hollywood derbies." Celebrities packed the stands at the Racecourse Ground and St. Andrew's alike, and fans everywhere lapped up the storyline of Reynolds and McElhenney versus Brady.

Both clubs earned promotion to the Championship at the end of the 2024–25 season, carrying their budding rivalry into the second tier and drawing even greater attention to the players and their celebrity owners.

Despite being only a minority stakeholder, Brady brought a unique magnetism to Birmingham — one that coincided with the club lifting the League One title and now sitting in prime position to push for Premier League promotion.

Brady's Exit Serves As a Warning

The level of commitment required to be an active owner of an English soccer club should not be underestimated. When Brady first acquired his minority stake, he had the time, energy and resources to be fully invested in Birmingham.

Since then, however, Brady added NFL ownership and broadcasting duties to his schedule. He can no longer simply hop on a flight to St. Andrew's for a weekend fixture against Wrexham — his commitments to FOX's NFL coverage keep him tied down throughout the season.

Had he been more of a silent investor, things might have worked out differently. But Brady served as chairman of the advisory board, a role that came with significant responsibilities he struggled to fulfill — particularly during the NFL season.

Brady can take pride in what he contributed to Birmingham, but his departure also stands as a cautionary tale for those hoping to replicate Wrexham's fairy-tale success through celebrity investment. Progress is gradual, seasons are grueling and the demands are relentless.

Yet the appeal remains irresistible for many. And the benefits — particularly in terms of fanbase growth and media exposure — are simply too valuable for certain clubs to pass up. Birmingham may have only had Brady for three years, but they almost certainly have no regrets, given the new supporters, coverage and sponsorship opportunities his presence helped attract to a once-overlooked club.