NFL great Brady: I was tough on my team-mates but that's why we won

NFL great Tom Brady says he became the most decorated player in American Football because he had high standards and expected the same from those around him, admitting some team-mates found him an "asshole."

The former quarterback has seven Super Bowl titles, one more than any individual NFL franchise after starring for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers between 2000 and 2023.

Speaking at the OMR digital trade fair in the German city of Hamburg, Brady said on Wednesday: "I'm sure a lot of my former team-mates would attest to this, I was kind of an asshole. And I was very tough on the details of doing things the right way."

Being hard on his team-mates was a sign of how much he cared, the 48-year-old said.

"I think one great leadership trait is - and I tell this to my kids a lot - if you want people to gravitate toward you, the only thing you have to do is genuinely care about them," he added.

"If you care about people, it's an amazing ability to create relationships that matter with people. When you create those relationships, you develop trust, and when you develop trust, people will follow you as a leader.

"And those other 10 team-mates looking at me, they need to look in my eyes and believe every single thing that I'm telling them."

Brady retired in 2022 before reversing his decision and playing for one more season. Speculation he might come out of retirement again has long brewed despite the Californian now being almost 50.

But he is happy as a broadcaster and part owner of the Las Vegas Raiders - as well as not hurting on a Monday morning after a game.

"That's my favourite part about not playing football anymore is kind of physical hits that I would take. I still love the competition, and I loved playing," he said.

"It's not sad that I'm retired, but there is a part of you that misses kind of the adrenaline and performing at your best in front of lots of people. That was a thrill that I'll never get over."