Tom Brady makes shock Birmingham City exit as Blues climb to Championship summit

Tom Brady’s time as a minority shareholder at Birmingham City has come to an end, with the seven-time Super Bowl champion officially stepping away from the Championship club after three years.

Brady became involved with the Blues shortly after Knighthead completed its takeover in July 2023, acquiring a minority stake and taking on the role of chairman of the club’s advisory board.

During his time in that position, the former NFL quarterback worked alongside Birmingham’s board and management team, contributing to global marketing plans and helping identify potential commercial partnerships.

However, the club confirmed on Monday that the 49-year-old had relinquished his stake, bringing his involvement to an end.

In a statement, Birmingham City expressed its appreciation for Brady’s contribution over the previous three years.

“Birmingham City Football Club expresses its sincere gratitude to Tom Brady for his involvement with and unwavering support for the club over the last three years,” the statement read.

“It was truly amazing to have someone with Tom’s experience and passion associated with the club, and the club looks forward to continuing to build on that foundation from the training ground to the Birmingham community.”

Why Tom Brady has left Birmingham City despite their Championship position

Brady’s departure has attracted attention, particularly given Birmingham’s encouraging progress on the pitch this season.

Chris Davies’ side currently lead the Championship after collecting eight victories from their opening 15 matches, putting them in a strong position in their pursuit of promotion.

However, a report by The Telegraph suggests that balancing his responsibilities at Birmingham with his work as an NFL pundit for Fox Sports may have become increasingly difficult.

Brady is understood to have decided that this was the right moment to step away, having played an important role during the early stages of chairman Tom Wagner’s ownership.

The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback had previously made no secret of his ambition to help Birmingham return to the Premier League after spending 15 years outside England’s top division.

Speaking last year, Brady outlined what he hoped to achieve with the club.

“We want to restore it (Birmingham) to the glory that it’s been in the past,” he said. “To move up and to be promoted to the Premier League is a very daunting task, but it can be achieved.”

He also addressed Birmingham’s promotion ambitions in February, when the club were sitting 10th in the Championship table.

Asked about their chances of reaching the Premier League, Brady responded confidently: “Really good question. We have three big home games coming up. We’re going up. That’s the goal, man. It’s up to those guys, they gotta get it done.”

Although Brady has now ended his involvement with the club, Birmingham will hope their progress on the pitch continues as they target a return to the Premier League.