Texting Tom is no phony idea

Besides counting his money, what does seven-time Super Bowl champion and living legend Tom Brady do to amuse himself in the offseason?

Well, how about posting a video on Twitter, in which the superstar quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave out a phone number fans can text if they want to contact him directly?

"Trying something new here...Hit me up at (415) 612-1737.Rule #1...no texting on Gamedays," Brady says in the video, which was posted after he signed a new two-year contract with the Bucs last week. He also said he will definitely see it if you send him a "you suck "text.

The 43-year-old Brady, who visited Beijing as an NFL ambassador in 2017 and has repeatedly stated his dream is to cap his Hall of Fame career by playing a game in China, says he wants to "fully engage" his 1.8 million Twitter followers－even if it probably guarantees his phone never stops ringing or vibrating.

But it's not quite that simple.

In all likelihood the stunt is part of a service called Community, which sets up dedicated phone lines for Hollywood celebrities and athletes to connect with their fans.

Does this mean Brady won't really see your messages? Not necessarily. There's a chance he'll check his phone and get back to you. There's also a chance he'll try to sell texters his TB12 merchandise or inform them of upcoming public appearances or business opportunities.

Either way, it's the latest example of how one of the planet's most recognized athletes continues to "humanize" his image as just a regular guy ... who happens to have around $250 million, according to celebritynetworth.com.

Under the terms of his new contract, Brady gets a $20 million signing bonus. However, $15 million won't be paid until 2022. He also gets a $20 million roster bonus this month, along with a minimum salary of $1.075 million, for a total of $41.075 million in 2021 earnings.

Next year, Brady will earn a base salary of $8.925 million－barring another raise. He'll be paid $23.925 million in 2022.

The deal also has $9 million in performance and playoff incentives, with a schedule of extra payments each year that is identical to the amounts he earned in 2020 for winning the Super Bowl ($2.25 million).

The deal also pays $562,500 if Brady finishes in the top five in each of five categories: passer rating, touchdown passes (or if he has 25 or more), passing yards, completion percentage, or yards per attempt.

In January, before the Buccaneers faced the New Orleans Saints in the NFC divisional round, Brady was asked about Saints quarterback Drew Brees－another aging player who announced his retirement earlier this month.

At the time, Brady seemed a little indignant at the idea that Brees was his contemporary. After all, Tom Terrific is more than a year older.

"He's a lot younger than me－18 months younger than me," Brady said. "Eighteen months ago I felt pretty good, so I've got a little advanced age and experience on Drew," Brady told reporters via Zoom.

"I'm hanging in there. He's had a terrific year. He's a great player－I've known him for a long time. I've always had a great amount of respect for him going all the way back to his college days."

After Brees, the NFL's leader in career completions and passing yards, announced his retirement on Instagram, Brady tweeted: "Congrats my friend on an incredible career. Thank you for the inspiration and dedication on and off the field! Look forward to seeing what's next@drewbrees."