‘Football is not NFL’: Wayne Rooney ‘disappointed’ about Tom Brady’s comments on his work ethic

August 14, 2025
7:41 pm

Former Manchester United and England great Wayne Rooney said that he was left disappointed about comments made by NFL star Tom Brady, also the minority owner of English club Birmingham City where Rooney was coach for a 83-day stint, in a recent docuseries.

In the documentary titled “Built in Birmingham”, Brady said he was “a little worried about our head coach’s (Wayne Rooney) work ethic.” Rooney branded the comments as a little unfair.

“Tom came in once, which was the day before a game, which is a little bit lighter anyway,” Rooney said in an interview with the BBC published on Thursday, “and I don’t think he really understood football that well at the time. Maybe he does now,” he said on BBC.

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“But what he does understand is that he’s a hard worker. We know that. So that’s why I’m really disappointed with the comment, because football is not NFL. NFL works for three months in a year, players do need rest as well, so I think he was very unfair in the way he’s come out and portrayed that,” he added.

The England forward, however, said that he still had a lot of respect for Brady as well as the club.

“Listen, I respect Tom Brady massively — he’s one of the greatest, if not the greatest athlete of all time,” Rooney said. “And Birmingham do look like they are getting it right now, which is good.”

Rooney’s coaching escapades

In the campaign when Rooney was manager, Birmingham slipped down the second-tier Championship. They, however, secured immediate promotion last season and is back in the Championship — one league away from the Premier League.

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After Birmingham, Rooney had taken the charge at Plymouth but was relieved of his duties in December 2024, lasting just 7 months with the club winning just 4 out of 23 matches this season. He’s also been the coach at MLS team DC United and Derby County.