Tom Brady grew up in the Bay Area and was a passionate San Francisco 49ers fan in his youth, but turned his back on the team after they overlooked him throughout the 2000 NFL Draft
08:00 ET, 16 Nov 2025
Tom Brady is set to be on the call for the 49ers' home clash against the Cardinals at Levi's Stadium
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Tom Brady is set to be on the call for the 49ers' home clash against the Cardinals at Levi's Stadium(Image: Getty Images)
Tom Brady grew up as a passionate fan of the San Francisco 49ers. Brady no longer supports the NFC West franchise.
In Week 10, Brady’s two teams went head-to-head as the New England Patriots defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He wasn’t on the call for the game, but he will be in the booth when his boyhood team takes to the field in Week 11.
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The 49ers travel to State Farm Stadium to take on the Arizona Cardinals. Kyle Shanahan’s team has fared incredibly well without the injured Brock Purdy, with Mac Jones instead admirably leading the offense.
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Brady will be on the call for the 49ers’ clash with the Cardinals, but the seven-time Super Bowl champion no longer cherishes the team quite like he used to. In a recent segment of ’Storytime with Tom Brady,’ he explained how his feelings toward the ‘Niners soured over the years.
“You know, my allegiance to the Niners left when they skipped over me six times in the 2000 draft,” Brady said. “Every time I played the Niners, I just wanted to make sure that the coaches who were out there at the time that you chose a goat farmer over me — and I never forgot that.”
The 49ers did take another quarterback in that draft class. San Francisco famously added Giovanni Carmazzi early in the third round, selecting him 134 picks before the Patriots infamously snagged Brady at pick No. 199.
While Brady developed into the greatest quarterback in NFL history, shattering records and collecting Lombardi Trophies, Carmazzi quickly flamed out with the 49ers. He spent just two years with the organization, never playing in a regular-season game.
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Tom Brady had a 2-2 record versus the San Francisco 49ers over his career
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Brady had a 2-2 record versus the San Francisco 49ers over his career(Image: Getty Images)
Carmazzi walked away from the NFL in 2006 to become a farmer, by which point Brady had already won three Super Bowl titles. There is an alternate reality where he was the 49ers quarterback, leading the franchise back to its glory days.
San Francisco wasn't the only team Brady held a grudge against after falling to the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.
He added, “They all passed over me six times. In fact, the Patriots passed over me five times. So, they were just one less than everybody else. That's OK, it all worked out.”
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Brady had another chance to join the 49ers as a free agent in 2020. However, while the franchise weighed up the move, they ultimately decided to stick with former Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, as he had just led the team to a Super Bowl LIV appearance.
Meanwhile, Brady joined the Buccaneers and delivered a Super Bowl victory, ensuring the 49ers twice regretted not picking him. Shanahan did try to sign Brady in 2023, following his second — and permanent — retirement, as Purdy was injured, but the 48-year-old rejected the opportunity.
The 6-4 49ers take on the 3-6 Cardinals in their next game on Sunday, Nov. 16.