Tom Brady is no longer playing football on primetime TV, but his story might be gracing screens soon.
A limited series about the retired NFL star is in the works, based on the 2018 nonfiction book 12: The Inside Story of Tom Brady’s Fight for Redemption written by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. Screenwriting duo Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson are set to adapt the book for TV.
“The New England Patriots dominated the professional sports landscape for 20 years,” Tamasy and Johnson told Deadline in a September 2023 statement. “Our series will bring the audience inside Gillette Stadium, better known as Fortress Foxboro, to shed new light on the thrilling, historic come-from-behind victories; the dark side of success; and building a culture of winning at all costs.”
This is hardly the first time authors Sherman and Wedge have teamed up with Tamasy and Johnson for a book adaptation.
Previously, the screenwriters adapted Sherman’s The Finest Hours into the 2016 movie of the same name starring Chris Pine. Tamasy and Johnson also took Sherman and Wedge’s book Boston Strong and adapted it into the 2016 film Patriots Day, which starred Mark Wahlberg.
For The Patriot Way, the screenwriting pair are looking to showcase Brady’s rise to fame as an NFL quarterback.
Brady played pro football for a total of 23 seasons after being the 199th pick in the 2000 draft. His first 20 years were spent on the New England Patriots, and he won an impressive six Super Bowls with the team. In 2020, Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He secured one more Super Bowl victory before making his official retirement announcement in February 2023.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about The Patriot Way so far:
Will Tom Brady Be in ‘The Patriot Way’?
Brady is not involved in the series. Tamasy and Johnson are not seeking any image rights to tell the story because Brady and the NFL are public figures.
“This allows us the freedom to tell the story without a filter,” they told Deadline in September 2023.
What Is ‘The Patriot Way’ About?
“The New England Patriots dominated the professional sports landscape for 20 years,” Tamasy and Johnson’s statement to Deadline read. “Our series will bring the audience inside Gillette Stadium, better known as Fortress Foxboro, to shed new light on the thrilling, historic come-from-behind victories; the dark side of success; and building a culture of winning at all costs.
Is ‘The Patriot Way’ Based on a True Story?
The limited series will be adapted from the book 12: The Inside Story of Tom Brady’s Fight for Redemption.
“As journalists, we had a front-row seat for all the incredible drama that has unfolded both before and after the New England Patriots won their first super bowl [in 2001],” authors Sherman and Wedge shared. “It’s a rich, character-driven story that probably will not be duplicated in our lifetime.”
