Northern Minnesota is under a new alert until Friday at 7 p.m.

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots are preparing for their big face-off in the Super Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.


Coaches and players from both teams talked to reporters at the Mall of America Tuesday. And each team has a Minnesota connection.

 while Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has family here. His mom grew up in Browerville in central Minnesota.

Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis

How to enjoy the Super Bowl on a budget

What's happening this week?

Events, the game and more

Brady shared a particularly ... interesting memory from his childhood. 


"I remember, my uncles gave me chewing tobacco for the first time when I was really young. And they said — we were fishing — pretty good story, we went sunfishing, and on the way home I said I want to try it, and they said if we give it to you, then you can't spit it out until you get home," Brady said. "It was like a 30-minute ride back to my grandpa's farm. So of course they give it to me and within five minutes I'm outside of the car throwing up all over the place, and I don't think I've had much chewing tobacco since then."

"We caught a lot of fish. That was one thing as a kid you can do in Minnesota, you catch a lot of fish. That was always some of my greatest memories were being on the lake with my uncles, my grandpa, my parents, my sisters — we had so much fun."


Brady is a four-time Super Bowl MVP, including last year when the Patriots won the Super Bowl. He also talked about having his kids here watching the game.

"I think they're just obviously much more aware now than they were even last year at this time," he said. "It's just part of the growing up process for them. I love having them here. They're a great joy in my life, so it'll be fun to have everybody here on Sunday."

Solvejg Wastvedt

Author

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady shared the story of the first time he tried chewing tobacco while fishing with his uncles in Minnesota. It did not go well -- but they did catch a lot of fish.

The Tom Brady throw no one wanted to catch

Go Deeper.

Like this?