Tom Brady may be retired, but the NFL legend still knows how to command headlines-and stir up emotions in New England.
Earlier this week, Brady sparked a wave of reaction when he took a neutral stance on Super Bowl LX, which features his old team, the New England Patriots, squaring off against the Seattle Seahawks. On the *Let’s Go!
- podcast, Brady said, “I don’t have a dog in the fight in this one. May the best team win.”
That comment didn’t sit well with some of his former Patriots teammates-and they made sure he knew it.
Linebacker and current team captain Robert Spillane didn’t mince words, saying Brady’s neutrality “makes me sick.” Former defensive stalwarts Vince Wilfork and Asante Samuel also voiced their disappointment, with the underlying message being clear: after 20 years, six Super Bowl titles, and a dynasty built on Brady’s brilliance, they expected more than a shrug.
Brady, who now serves as a lead NFL analyst for Fox Sports and holds a minority ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, eventually changed course. On Friday, he posted a message of support for the Patriots, signaling a shift from his earlier hands-off approach.
It’s a reminder that even after stepping away from the game, Brady’s legacy in New England is still very much alive-and still very personal for the players and fans who lived through two decades of dominance with No. 12 under center.
Of course, the backdrop to all of this is Brady’s departure from the Patriots, which remains a point of fascination. After two decades in Foxborough, he closed out his playing days with three seasons in Tampa Bay, where he added a seventh Lombardi Trophy to his already unmatched résumé. That move raised questions about how things ended in New England, and whether a full-circle reconciliation would ever truly happen.
But when Brady shows support-even if it comes after some public pressure-it still means something. Because love him or question him, there’s no separating Tom Brady from the Patriots’ identity. And as the franchise gets ready for another Super Bowl run, having the GOAT in their corner, even belatedly, carries weight.