Tom Brady speaks at conference for wealth guru Grant Cardone

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Tom Brady’s second go-around with retirement has already featured kitten adoptions, underwear modeling and a vow to “explore a lot of other parts of life that have been put aside for a time being.”

His latest exploration, though, might prompt some questions.

Brady was a guest speaker at Grant Cardone’s 10X Growth Con, a three-day event sponsored by Cardone, whose name has been tied to allegations and a lawsuit about misleading investors. The conference took place from Feb. 14-16 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, according to Cardone’s website, and Brady made an appearance during the final day to talk about the “intersection of sports and success,” according to a summary on GCTV.com.

“Some might say this year’s Growth Con was the greatest of all time,” Cardone tweeted, with a GOAT emoji attached to the end. “I had the pleasure of having another GOAT on my stage today, thank you @TomBrady for sharing your time with me and my #10X community.”

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and UFC president Dana White also spoke at the event.

According to Cardone’s website, which features early-bird tickets for the 2024 sales and marketing conference, tickets for the event can range between $1,500 to $20,000. Brady’s introduction, per a video from the event that surfaced on Twitter, featured flames and sparklers surrounding him on the stage as the 45-year-old — donning a gray sweatshirt, gray pants and a black hat — acknowledged those in attendance.

The Real Deal, an outlet that covers real estate news, has reported in a series of articles about Cardone facing accusations of “misleading investors.” He and Cardone Capital were sued in 2020 by someone who had invested $10,000 in real estate funds. Most recently, The Real Deal reported the lawsuit against Cardone — dismissed last year — was reversed by a federal appeals judge. 

The Real Deal has also cited a Palm Beach Post investigation that reported on a Lake Worth apartment complex, tied to Cardone, that overcharged its tenants.

Brady has also dealt with the fallout from investing in FTX last year as a booster and brand ambassador. He, along with ex-wife Gisele Bundchen and other celebrity investors, were named in a class-action lawsuit in November 2022 after FTX tanked. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has also been on house arrest following the cryptocurrency collapse.

Brady’s latest appearance post-retirement faced backlash from users on Twitter. Cardone has posted about Brady in the past, using an Instagram video in 2018 and a Medium post in 2019 as platforms to endorse Brady as the greatest quarterback of all time. The video — from Feb. 21, 2018, when Brady engineered a fourth-quarter comeback over the Jaguars in the AFC Championship game — applauded Brady for navigating the postseason victory without Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, “10 stitches in his hand, down 10 points against the best defense in the NFL.”

“It just goes to show you, again, individual effort,” Cardone said in the video. “Decide to be a champion. Decide to be great. Decide to be the GOAT. Make the decision that is the GOAT in you, the greatest of all time. Make that decision. Tom Brady showed us today that he is the GOAT.”

In the Medium post, Cardone interpreted two Brady quotes and applied them to his audience of entrepreneurs. He also wrote about Brady, again, two years later on his personal website, ahead of when Brady led the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl in 2021.

“Tom Brady is undoubtedly one of the all-time greatest football with an amazing track record and list of accomplishments,” Cardone wrote. “He’s also living proof that age is no obstacle if you’re determined and committed enough. As the Super Bowl approaches, everyone is speculating on whether or not this will be Brady’s last season. 

“Anything is possible but I wouldn’t be planning his retirement parcty [sic] anytime soon just like I’m not even close to planning mine.”

Two years later, with Brady’s playing career now finished, the pair overlapped on stage.

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