Tom Brady vs LeBron James: Who's Older?

Two of the most argued-about athletes of the 21st century, Tom Brady and LeBron James, are often discussed in the same GOAT-of-their-sport sentences. But how close in age are they actually?

The short answer

Tom Brady is older.

Brady was born August 3, 1977. LeBron was born December 30, 1984. That's a gap of almost exactly 7 years and 5 months. Today, Brady is 48 years old; LeBron is 41.

Career overlap

When Brady was drafted in 2000, LeBron was 15 years old and still in high school. By the time LeBron entered the NBA in 2003, Brady had already won his second Super Bowl. That gap — Brady having a half-decade head start — is part of why their careers feel like they belong to slightly different eras even though they overlapped for two full decades.

Generational placement

Brady's contemporaries are quarterbacks like Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Eli Manning — and basketball stars like Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan. LeBron's generation includes Dwyane Wade (1982) and Carmelo Anthony (1984) — both closer to LeBron's age than to Brady's.

A fun coincidence

LeBron is famously close in age to Patrick Mahomes — they're 11 years apart. Mahomes is closer in age to LeBron's son Bronny than to Tom Brady. That's the size of the Brady-LeBron gap.

For more cross-sport comparisons see Who Is Older Than Tom Brady? — 30+ athletes ranked by birthdate.