The Tampa Bay Buccaneers stirred up some controversy this week-and it had nothing to do with game plans or offseason moves. On Saturday, the team’s official social media account posted a throwback clip featuring Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski celebrating their Super Bowl LV win. The video showed the former teammates, all smiles, reliving the moment they connected for two touchdowns en route to a 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
But not everyone was feeling the nostalgia.
Barstool Sports founder and well-known Patriots fan Dave Portnoy didn’t hold back. He blasted the Bucs for what he saw as an ill-timed attempt to bask in the Brady-Gronk glow-especially with Super Bowl LX just around the corner, where the Patriots are set to face off against the Seattle Seahawks.
“It’s embarrassing to post this,” Portnoy tweeted. “Never seen a franchise try to mooch off another franchise more than this.”
To be fair, the Bucs do have a legitimate claim to that moment in history. Brady and Gronkowski joined Tampa Bay in 2020 and immediately delivered, guiding the franchise to its second-ever Super Bowl title. Brady threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns in that game-two of them to Gronk-as the Bucs dominated the Chiefs and capped off a remarkable season.
Still, for many Patriots fans, Brady’s legacy is forever tied to New England. He spent 20 seasons in Foxborough, won six Super Bowls, and built a dynasty alongside Bill Belichick. So when the Bucs post a celebratory clip during a week when the Patriots are preparing for their first Super Bowl appearance since Brady’s departure, it’s easy to see why some fans-and Portnoy-felt it hit a nerve.
And Portnoy’s frustrations didn’t stop with Tampa Bay. He also took aim at Brady himself.
Earlier in the week, Brady made headlines by staying neutral when asked who he was rooting for in Super Bowl LX. He said he didn’t “have a dog in the fight,” which didn’t sit well with Portnoy, a diehard Patriots supporter who’s never been shy about his loyalty.
“This is for Patriots fans’ eyes only,” Portnoy tweeted. “I think it’s bulls**t Tom Brady said he has no dog in the fight.
It’s pretty obvious he doesn’t give a s**t about us anymore, and maybe we shouldn’t care about him either. Maybe it was just professional-and that’s fine.”
That’s a heavy statement, especially when directed at a player who brought so much success to New England. But it speaks to the complicated emotions that come with Brady’s post-Patriots chapter. His time in Tampa Bay was brief but wildly successful, and while he’s since retired, the question of where his loyalty lies continues to stir debate.
To his credit, Brady did eventually show some love to his old team. He posted photos with Patriots owner Robert Kraft and offered support ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl. Whether that was enough to smooth things over with fans like Portnoy is another story.
Meanwhile, the Patriots are focused on the task at hand: trying to win their first championship since the 2018 season. Under new head coach Mike Vrabel, they’ve clawed their way back to the big stage. Their AFC Championship win over the Broncos was gritty-a 10-7 slugfest that showcased the kind of defense-first, grind-it-out football that’s long been a hallmark of the franchise.
Now, they face a hungry Seattle Seahawks team in Super Bowl LX. The stakes are high, the emotions even higher. And while social media posts and off-field drama may dominate the headlines in the lead-up, come Sunday, it’s all about what happens between the lines.
As for Brady, his legacy in New England is secure. But moments like this remind us that even the greatest careers can leave behind complicated chapters-and passionate fans who never forget.