NFL star Tom Brady takes stake in Birmingham City football club

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NFL star Tom Brady has taken a stake in English football club Birmingham City, saying he wants to help revive the fortunes of a team that was relegated from the sport’s top flight more than a decade ago.

Brady, who retired from playing this year, is one of the NFL’s most successful quarterbacks, following a series of Super Bowl wins with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Birmingham City did not disclose the size of his stake or the amount he invested but said Brady would work with the club on health, nutrition, marketing and commercial opportunities.

Brady’s investment comes three weeks after US hedge fund Knighthead Capital Management took control of the football club. Brady already has a relationship with Knighthead, investing in a pickleball club controlled by the hedge fund and signing a clothing deal with Knighthead’s motor racing team.

Birmingham chair Tom Wagner called Brady’s investment “a statement of intent”, with the star “both investing and committing his time and extensive expertise”.

Brady said: “Birmingham City is an iconic club with so much history and passion and to be part of the Blues is a real honour for me.

“I’ve been part of some amazing teams in my day, and I’m looking forward to applying my perspective to create that same success here in Birmingham,” he added.

Lower-league UK football clubs have been attracting attention from US celebrities in recent years. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham in 2021, while NFL star JJ Watt bought a stake in Burnley this year.