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Is Tom Brady in the middle of a midlife crisis?
The winningest player in NFL history seems determined to chip away at his gold-plated brand with his outlandish behavior and apparent publicity stunts.
Brady just slapped WWE star Logan Paul in the face after a staredown at Fanatics Fest in New York over the weekend. Then, during Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final, Fox’s lead NFL game analyst and Paul exchanged middle finger salutes in the stands, leading Fanatics founder Michael Rubin to get in between them. The “feud” between the three-time NFL MVP and former YouTube star dates back to their involvement in the Fanatics-branded flag football event that was originally slated to take place in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
On Madison Avenue, Brady is pushing Pizza Hut, a brand at odds with the famously health-conscious ex-quarterback’s public image. Brady’s low-brow phase can be traced back to 2024, when he somehow allowed himself to be humiliated by the likes of Nikki Glaser on Netflix’s The Roast of Tom Brady.
Is this all a “work,” as they say in pro wrestling? A publicity stunt to promote an upcoming Brady wrestling match against Paul? Maybe.
Or is the 48-year-old legend having a midlife crisis? Instead of buying a sports car like most men his age, Brady is calling pro wrestlers “dorks” and grabbing endorsement offers he would have passed on back in the glory days.
People are starting to talk here, Tom. When the video of Brady giving Paul the finger at MetLife Stadium surfaced on X/Twitter, Will Compton of Bussin with the Boys tweeted, “I legit don’t understand why Tom Brady is doing all of this.”
Even Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports, maybe the world’s biggest Brady fan, is shaking his head at the seven-time Super Bowl winner. “Can somebody please shake Tom Brady and tell him to get as far away from Michael Rubin as possible and stop lamifying his entire legacy,” tweeted Portnoy.
NFL Network star Kyle Brandt got in on the fun during Monday morning’s episode of ESPN’s Get Up.
“This is like Daniel Day-Lewis going on Love Island,” Brandt said of Brady’s antics with Paul, referring to the popular Netflix reality show.
To me, Brady is a Rolex, a Ferrari, a symbol of excellence. He should take a page out of Michael Jordan’s marketing playbook with a less-is-more approach. On the rare occasion you see Air Jordan in public, it matters. It makes an impact.
Instead, Brady seems determined to be everywhere at once. His omni-presence could diminish his mystique as the all-time winner.
It can’t be for the money; Brady’s 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox makes him the highest-paid sportscaster in history. He made $333 million in salary and bonuses during his 23-year career with the Pats and Buccaneers.
Maybe after escaping Bill Belichick’s Patriots Penitentiary after 20 seasons, Brady’s letting his hair down and having fun. It’s the equivalent of the kid who got out of military school, grew a beard, and went backpacking through Europe. Or, maybe this is the way the sports media world works these days. After all, part-time WWE wrestler Pat McAfee has become one of ESPN’s biggest stars.
But I’d rather have the real thing than a scripted work. As a sports media fan, I’d rather Brady focus on his analyst work at Fox than feud with wrestlers. Yes, he made huge improvements in his second season in the Fox booth. But he’s still second-best behind Fox’s No. 2 analyst in Greg Olsen. Despite complaints about an alleged conflict of interest, Brady also boasts an ownership stake in the Raiders. What more can a guy want?
Come back to us, Tom—even if that means seeing you less.
