Tom Brady celebrated his 48th birthday with a blend of charm and wit. He also proved again that retirement hasn’t dulled his humor or his appreciation for old friends.Amid a flood of birthday wishes from across the sports world, one message stood out: a simple Instagram story from David Beckham. It sparked a playful exchange between two of global sports' most iconic figures.“Happy Birthday Man 🤍,” Beckham wrote.“Just trying to keep up with you 👊🏻😂,” Brady wrote.Tom Brady reshares David Beckham's wish (image credit: instagram/tombrady)Brady and Beckham are part of a growing wave of elite athletes redefining their second acts not as commentators or coaches. They are power players shaping the future of teams, and in Brady’s case, Beckham’s example played a big role in lighting that path.Tom Brady reveals David Beckham's ownership advice shaped Birmingham investmentTom Brady bought into Birmingham City in 2023, taking on a minority stake in the storied English socccer team.However, before signing on the dotted line, the seven-time Super Bowl champion leaned on Beckham for advice. It was particularly about life after playing and the challenges of managing a team's identity from the top down.Brady highlighted Beckham’s success with Inter Miami. He pointed to the MLS team's cultural impact, stadium project and growing footprint in American soccer. He sees it as a blueprint for what he hopes to help build in Birmingham."David has been a good friend of mine for a long time," Brady said on Thursday, via Men In Blazers Media Network."Obviously, watching his career. He comes over to the MLS, has great success for the (LA) Galaxy. How he transitioned into sports ownership is pretty amazing. His club here, Inter Miami, have done great things. They've got a whole real estate project going on in Miami, building a new stadium."That admiration was on full display in "Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues," the recent Amazon docuseries chronicling Birmingham’s dramatic return to the championship.In one episode, a team's staffer suggested that Beckham, who joined Brady at a game against Wrexham, didn’t need a team gift bag. Brady, visibly irritated, shut the idea down.Birmingham City’s immediate bounce back to the championship, clinching the League One title with a record-setting 111 points, strengthened the case for Brady’s investment.Meanwhile, Brady also begins his second major post-retirement chapter as FOX Sports’ lead NFL analyst, and retains an ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders.