Tom Brady Walks Back Super Bowl Fence-Sitting, Backs Kraft and Patriots Ahead of Big Game
Tom Brady stirred up a storm earlier this week when he said he didn’t “have a dog in the fight” heading into Super Bowl LX - a surprising stance from a man who built an empire in New England and won six of his seven Super Bowl rings with the Patriots. But just days later, Brady is doing a bit of a 180.
After catching heat from some of his former teammates and Patriots fans alike, Brady has now publicly backed his former boss, Robert Kraft, in the lead-up to Sunday’s showdown between the Patriots and Seahawks in Santa Clara.
Posting on Instagram after attending a pre-Super Bowl event with Kraft, Brady shared a photo of the two together and wrote: “You know I got your back RKK - Get that 7th ring so we can match.” He even tagged the Patriots in the story - a subtle but clear signal that he’s throwing his support behind the team he once led to dynastic greatness.
It’s a notable shift from his earlier comments, where Brady explained that he’s in a different phase of life now - one where he roots more for people than teams. “You have different chapters and moments that you go through,” he said, referencing his time at Michigan, his two decades with the Patriots, and his three-year stint in Tampa Bay. Now, with his broadcasting career in motion and a part-ownership role with the Raiders, Brady said his allegiances have evolved.
Still, for many in New England, that explanation didn’t sit well - especially with the Patriots back on the sport’s biggest stage, led by rookie quarterback Drake Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel, one of Brady’s former teammates.
Asante Samuel, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots, didn’t hold back on social media. “Tom Brady you have 23 hours to respond or it's up.
I'm going ape s*** about who you are,” Samuel posted on X. “Let me find out you hating on Drake Maye and Vrabel.
‘I don’t have a dog in this fight’.”
Samuel followed up with another shot: “Tom Brady I am highly - I mean highly - disappointed in you not rooting for your ex-teammate, Mike Vrabel, who is about to do something special.”
Patriots great Vince Wilfork also chimed in, questioning Brady’s loyalty: “If you’re a Patriot for life, you know what it is. Don’t give me that political bull****.”
Even Rob Gronkowski, Brady’s longtime partner-in-crime on the field, seemed puzzled. Speaking with Kay Adams, Gronk said, “Did he say that he’s not rooting for the Patriots?
Why? I don’t know.
I’m not Tom. I haven’t talked to him yet since the Patriots have been to the Super Bowl.”
Then he added, half-jokingly, “Because he probably wants to be the quarterback. He’s that competitive. He wants to be the guy in the Super Bowl right now.”
Brady’s legacy in New England is untouchable - six titles, countless unforgettable moments, and a standard of excellence that defined the franchise for two decades. But his recent comments were a reminder that even icons can misread the room.
Now, with the Patriots chasing their seventh Lombardi Trophy - which would match Brady’s personal total - it looks like the former QB is back in their corner. Maybe not with pom-poms, but with a nod of support that still carries weight.
And if Kraft and the Patriots do pull it off on Sunday, don’t be surprised if Brady’s back in Foxborough this offseason, ring-polishing jokes and all.