Tom Brady says his more moderate diet better reflects how he actually lives now than the strict image many people still associate with him. In a CNBC interview shared Tuesday to mark his partnership with Ferrero, the seven-time Super Bowl champion said people have exaggerated the rigidity of his food rules.
“I think it’s moderation in all things,” Brady said, adding that people have gone “overboard” with the idea of his lifestyle and diet.
Brady said his routine includes the same kinds of moments many families share, including Halloween, birthday parties, football games, travel and airport food. He said he tries to make healthy choices as often as possible, while also recognising the realities of everyday life.
He also offered a lighthearted example of that flexibility, saying he makes Nutella pancakes for his children. Brady added that he even ate Nutella pizzas during a trip to Milan for the Olympics, a sharp contrast to the ultra-disciplined eating plan that defined much of his NFL career.
How Brady’s Diet Since the NFL
During his playing days, Brady became known for avoiding white sugar, white flour, dairy, iodised salt, caffeine, nightshade vegetables and even some fruits, including strawberries. That approach, widely known as the TB12 Method, drew both praise and criticism over the years.
Since retiring from the NFL in 2022, Brady says he has eased up. Still, he has made clear that he balances that flexibility with exercise and hydration.
Brady’s more relaxed diet does not mean he has abandoned fitness. In 2024, he shared an Instagram look at a workout routine built around swimming and weight training.
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He also said on the Let’s Go podcast in 2023 that he had lost about 10 pounds while staying very fit. Brady credited that partly to leaving behind the stress of professional football, which he said allowed him to focus more on his physical health.
Brady shares three children, Jack, 18, Benjamin, 16, and Vivian, 13, and his latest comments suggest his lifestyle now centres less on strict restriction and more on balance
