New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, a five-time Super Bowl champion on a promotional tour in Asia, says he hopes to play an NFL game in China before his career ends.
The 39-year-old signal caller was set to play a pre-season contest with the Patriots in China in 2007, a year before Beijing hosted the Olympics, but the game against Seattle was canceled by the NFL in order to focus on the debut of regular-season games in London later that year.
“My dream is to play a game here in China someday,” Brady told ESPN. “We had an opportunity, I think, 10 years ago and my team was going to play here, and unfortunately it didn’t work out.
“But one day I hope that there are many games here, and over the course of a year, because it’s such a great sport and because I love it so much, to bring that here and to bring the discipline and incredible strategy involved.”
Brady, who turns 40 in August before the start of his 18th NFL campaign, posted an Instagram photo of him throwing an American football while on the walkway atop the Great Wall of China.
His trip, for sports clothing maker Under Armour, will include stops in Shanghai on Tuesday and Tokyo on Wednesday, according to ESPN.
“I am excited about the opportunity to be able to connect with the people in China and Japan, experience the incredible culture and share my love for the game with my fans,” Brady said.
“The tour will be rewarding for me as I experience Shanghai, Beijing and Tokyo. I hope to learn more about the next generation of athletes in Asia and to inspire them to always push boundaries through hard work, dedication, humility and perseverance both on and off the field.”
Brady, a four-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, rallied the Patriots to a stunning comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons last February to win Super Bowl 51.
Last year, there were reports the NFL was working to stage a game in China in 2018.
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