Tom Brady says retirement coming "sooner rather than later" but still having a lot of fun

Photo courtesy of the Boston Herald

In a tell-all interview that delved deeper into his life, New England Patriots’ quarterback covered a number of topics with Oprah Winfrey in a special that aired on Sunday.

Their conversation included his training techniques, parenthood, national anthem protests, retirement, Deflategate and more.

Brady, who turns 41 in August, acknowledged to Oprah that he sees an end coming “sooner rather than later.” On the other hand, he says he always feels there is more to be accomplished and that he is still having “a lot of fun.”

Brady doesn’t know a timeline of events for himself, but he says, “As long as I'm still loving it. As long as I'm loving the training and preparation and willing to make the commitment. But it's also (that) I think what I've alluded to a lot in the ["Tom vs. Time"] docuseries was there's other things happening in my life too. I do have [three] kids that I love, and I don't want to be a dad that's not there driving my kids to their games. I think my kids have brought a great perspective in my life, because kids just want the attention. You better be there and be available to them, or else they're going to look back on their life and go, 'Dad didn't really care that much.”

While learning to manage his time between the game he loves and the family he loves, Brady still says he’s in it and having a lot of fun.

“I still feel like I'm in it. I still feel like I'm doing it. I still feel like there's still more to be accomplished. ... I still feel like I can be better, be a percentage better. I've played a long time. It's not like you go, 'Hey man, I'm going to become something different.' No. I am what I am. I know my strengths. I've improved on some of the weaknesses. And I still think I want to go out there and compete and play with a bunch of 22-year-olds. It's still a lot of fun.”

Then Brady and Oprah discussed his training techniques and whether he trains separately from the rest of the team – a topic that is on everyone’s minds - as the 19-year veteran had missed all of the Patriots’ OTAs and was only present during mandatory minicamp.

“I probably do some of my own techniques differently from the rest of the team," he answered. "The team, I would say, like most teams are very systematic in their approach. And what I learned, I guess, is different from some of the things that are systematic but that work for me. It's nothing that I don't talk about with my coach and owner -- 'This is what I want to do; this is what I need to be the best player I can be and hopefully you can support that.”

He also assured fans that nothing is going on between he and Belichick.

“Umm, no. I mean, I love him. I love that he's an incredible coach, mentor for me. And he's pushed me in a lot of ways. Like everything, we don't agree on absolutely everything. But that's relationships.”

For more on Brady’s interview with Oprah, click here.

Follow Megan on Twitter: @carnahanmegan