Tom Brady experienced a markedly different atmosphere at the American Dream complex in New Jersey Friday night than he often encountered during his NFL career at MetLife Stadium. Instead of facing potential jeers, the seven-time Super Bowl champion was greeted by enthusiastic fans eager for a glimpse of the legendary quarterback.
Brady officially launched CardVault by Tom Brady, a premium trading card store, marking the first expansion of this flagship brand beyond the Boston area. Fans decked out in Patriots and Buccaneers gear packed all three levels of the sprawling shopping center to witness the event and potentially catch a glimpse – or even better, a ball—from the iconic athlete.
Prior to mingling with the crowd, Brady participated in a brief Q&A session with co-founder Chris Costa. He then surprised attendees by demonstrating his still-impressive arm strength, launching footballs into the excited throng.
Brady shared insights into some of his most cherished trading cards, highlighting a dual autograph featuring San Francisco 49ers legend Joe Montana as particularly meaningful. He also spoke fondly of cards showcasing teammates including Randy Moss, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker.
“The San Francisco 49ers were the team to beat in the NFL and they had a tremendous run from the early 80s through the late 90s – they were a dynasty,” Brady stated.
“When you grow up in the Bay Area and you have that, it gives you a lot of reasons to love sports and love football. That’s when I fell in love with football, because of Joe Montana. And he’s still my idol today.”
“He was an incredible quarterback and he set the tone every single day for what greatness really looks like. Every pro football player, every quarterback that’s ever played in the NFL understands how talented and how poised this guy was. This guy was a champion – four Super Bowl wins in four Super Bowl appearances. Nobody performed in Super Bowls as great as this guy and the fact that I’m on a card with him signed, it had to be in my collection.”
Brady then reminisced about the remarkable comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.
“It’s 2016, the end of the season, came down to one game against the Falcons and it was pretty rough being down 28-3,” he recalled.
“But I had a group of teammates that never quit and we did fight to the end. We played our butts off for the last 18 minutes of that game and went from what would have been the toughest loss of my career to the greatest victory that maybe the sport has even seen. And we get to make jokes with Falcons fans for the rest of our lives.”
CardVault by Tom Brady caters to collectors, offering rare and premium trading cards designed to elevate collections. The store aims to provide a welcoming environment for enthusiasts of all levels.
- Rare and Premium Trading Cards
- A Welcoming Environment for Collectors
