Tom Brady Leaves Lasting Impact on Former Coaches, Current Players at Serra High Alma Mater
SAN MATEO (KPIX 5) -- NFL superstar and San Mateo native Tom Brady is stepping away from football, after 22 years and seven Super Bowl wins, officially announcing his retirement after days of speculation.
Before earning all of his rings and becoming the G.O.A.T., Brady wore his familiar number 12 for the Serra High School Padres.
"He's an inspiration for so many," said Mike Fadelli one of Brady's many coaches along the way to athletic greatness. Fadelli coached Brady when he played baseball for Serra.
"He's so caring for Serra, and what Serra did for him. He epitomizes what being a Padre is all about," Fadelli said. "I just think he's an incredible role model for so many. That's the thing I'm most proud of. He went about it, did it the right way, and showed people that if you work hard, your dreams can come true."
During a 1994 interview, Brady told KPIX Sports Director and NFL Hall of Famer Dan Fouts: "Everybody tells me I've got a pretty strong arm, I'm pretty accurate with it. I think I need to work on my speed a little bit, but hopefully, that'll come in time. I've got a pretty good work ethic, so I think I can get the job done."
Fadelli says Brady had the incredible work ethic he's known for while he was a high school athlete.
"That work ethic - it started back when he was a kid in high school and in college, and it's continued on today," he said. "He wanted to be the best at whatever he did. That shows in what he's been able to accomplish to this point."
Though Brady played his last game for Serra in 1994, longtime varsity football coach Patrick Walsh says along his way to greatness, Brady never forgot his roots.
"He never left who he was as a humble character, a humble individual who loved where he's from, loved his family, and he never strayed from that no matter how many Super Bowls he had," said Walsh. "His aura, his legacy, and how we feel as Padres because of who he is, is lasting now... and it'll last for generations."
Brady was enshrined in the Serra Hall of Fame in 2004, and has remained close to his alma mater. KPIX 5 spoke with three student-athletes on the football team who say Brady checked in on the team and even gave them a pep talk before a big game.
"He just told us to go out there and play like we're Padres - and that's exactly what we did," said quarterback Dominique Lampkin.
The Brady connection continues to inspire students, athletes, and staff at Serra High School.
"It's great wearing the same uniform as the greatest quarterback of all time, you know," said Hassan Mahasin, also a member of the football team.
"Just to know that someone from where we started can go to such amazing heights where he is - and finish off his career like that - just gives us hope that we can do the same," said Sione Laulea, a member of the football team.
In Walsh's eyes, Brady leaves behind a legacy that will last a lifetime: as a player, a person, and a padre.
"Tom's lasting impact here - it'll last forever," he said. "There's only one school on the planet that can say they have the best football player ever to play who graduated from their high school - and that's Serra High School. That's pretty huge in my opinion."
