Is Tom Brady Really Rooting Against the Patriots in Super Bowl 60? Let’s Break It Down
Tom Brady is a New England Patriots icon. That’s not up for debate.
He spent two decades in Foxborough, led the team to nine Super Bowl appearances, and brought home six Lombardi trophies. His legacy is stitched into the fabric of the franchise.
So when the Patriots punched their ticket to Super Bowl 60, you’d think Brady would be the first to raise a glass.
But according to a recent take from longtime NFL commentator Skip Bayless, that might not be the case.
Bayless floated the idea that Brady could actually be pulling for the Seahawks in this one. Why? Because of Drake Maye - the Patriots’ second-year quarterback who’s taken the league by storm and now has New England back in the big game.
Bayless’ point is this: if Maye wins a Super Bowl this early in his career - just like Brady did back in 2001 - it could, in some eyes, take a little shine off what TB12 accomplished. “I don’t think Brady’s going to love it for his legacy,” Bayless said in a video posted to social media. “That some second-year starter, as he was, flipped the switch right back and got the Patriots to the Super Bowl.”
Now, let’s be clear - there’s no evidence that Brady actually feels this way. He hasn’t said anything publicly about it, and he probably won’t.
That’s not his style. Brady’s a competitor, but he’s also a pro.
He knows how to walk the line, especially now that he’s in the broadcast booth. Publicly rooting for or against a team - especially one he helped build into a dynasty - just isn’t something we’re likely to see from him.
Still, the timing is interesting. The Patriots are back in the Super Bowl for the first time since Brady left, and they did it with a young quarterback who’s already showing flashes of greatness.
That’s bound to stir up conversation, especially given how Brady’s departure from New England played out. It wasn’t exactly a storybook ending - much of that tension centered around Bill Belichick - but Brady has never wavered in expressing his appreciation for the organization and its fans.
As for the game itself, the Patriots earned their spot the hard way. They edged out the Denver Broncos 10-7 in the AFC Championship Game - a defensive slugfest where points were at a premium.
With Bo Nix sidelined due to injury, Denver had to turn to Jarrett Stidham, and the offense couldn’t get much going. A rushing touchdown from Maye and a short field goal from Andy Borregales were enough to seal the win for Mike Vrabel’s squad.
Now they face a Seattle team that comes in as a slight favorite. The Seahawks have been one of the most balanced teams all season, and they’ve got the kind of playoff-tested roster that won’t be fazed by the moment.
So, is Brady secretly hoping the Patriots fall short to preserve his legacy? It’s a fun talking point, but probably not the story here. More likely, he’s watching like the rest of us - curious to see if this new chapter in Patriots history can live up to the old one.
And if Drake Maye does manage to bring another Lombardi back to New England? That’s not a threat to Brady’s legacy. It’s a continuation of it.