How Tom Brady's childhood love for baseball cards inspired his business

Tom Brady’s childhood love for Don Mattingly cards inspired his growing trading card business beyond the NFL (Image via Getty Images)

Tom Brady has seven Super Bowl rings, but his love for baseball cards started long before his NFL career took off. As a child, he spent his money collecting cards of Don Mattingly, his favourite player.

After years, Brady still owns that collection and sometimes brings it to CardVault store openings. What began as a childhood hobby has now become a business venture that keeps him connected to the sports collectibles world.Brady started collecting cards when he was around seven or eight years old. Growing up in San Mateo, California, he often visited a local hobby shop to add to his collection. The interest stayed with him through his football career and into retirement.

At Fanatics Fest in New York in July 2026, he even got the chance to meet Mattingly and share the story behind his childhood collection.

Tom Brady still holds on to his Don Mattingly collection

Tom Brady did not hide his excitement when he met Mattingly at Fanatics Fest. The former New York Yankees star had been his favourite player since childhood, and his cards once filled the pages of Brady’s binder.“Since I was seven years old, I only wanted Don Mattingly cards,” Brady told Mattingly at Fanatics Fest in July 2026.

He recalled how the cards filled the laminated pages of his childhood collection.Brady still holds on to that binder and sometimes brings it to CardVault store openings. Collecting also helped him develop a practical skill. During an interview with Front Office Sports at Fanatics Fest in July 2026, he joked that collecting baseball cards helped him become better at maths.For Brady, the appeal goes beyond owning valuable cards. He enjoys finding something new, following the players he admires and building a collection over time.

Those childhood memories now connect directly to his work in the trading card industry.

How Tom Brady turned his childhood hobby into CardVault

Brady joined CardVault as a co-owner in 2024. However, he wanted more than a single shop carrying his name. He saw an opportunity to expand the business and bring the collecting experience to more fans.During discussions about the partnership, Brady told CardVault cofounder Chris Costa, “I don’t want to do a store. I want to open all of them with you guys.” Costa recalled the exchange in an interview with Front Office SportsThe company planned to open its 17th store in Palo Alto, California, in August 2026.

It also set a target of 40 locations by 2028, according to the report.Brady’s involvement goes beyond promoting the brand. Costa told that the two speak daily. Brady even worked the phones to improve CardVault’s allocation of Pokémon cards, which have become popular with customers.

At Fanatics Fest in July 2026, Brady also spoke about customers saving money to buy cards, just as he did as a child. He wants them to enjoy the experience of finding something special.His NFL career made him a household name, but baseball cards have remained a personal passion. Through CardVault, Brady is turning that childhood interest into a business while helping a new generation of collectors discover the same excitement.