Football hasn’t expanded worldwide in the way that basketball has — therefore it is a bit more difficult for NFL players to gain fame around the world. Baseball and Soccer have both been popular worldwide for many years, and the top athletes from each sport have global followings.
It didn’t matter for Tom Brady though, who was ranked No. 31 in ESPN’s ‘World Fame 100’. Brady ranked was the top NFL player to make the list and the only one to make the top 50. He is coming off Super Bowl win No. 6 and will continue to play next season at the age of 42.
This is year No. 4 of this ESPN issue and the top athletes are ranked from three different categories: social media following, online searches and endorsement income. Brady has a social media following of 4.7 million and is bringing in $20 million from endorsements. The No. 1 athlete in the issue is Christiano Ronaldo, who has an insane social media following of 148 million and brings in $37 million in endorsements.
It seems as if Brady accomplishes something new every week and this is just the most recent measure of success. He is now 41-years-old and is heading into the 2019 season with no signs of slowing down. He is hands down the most accomplished NFL player and his worldwide fame is another reflection of it.
Brady wasn’t the only Patriots to make the list though — Rob Gronkowski slipped in at No. 97.
