Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy took aim at NFL on FOX analyst Tom Brady on Monday, suggesting the former New England quarterback may harbor lingering resentment toward the New England Patriots.
During Monday’s episode of the Barstool program Wake Up Barstool, Portnoy argued that Brady’s recent comments and public posture have increasingly come across as dismissive of the organization where he built his Hall of Fame resume.
Over the weekend, a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler pointed to the possibility that Brady might have prevented star edge rusher Maxx Crosby from ending up in New England. A person “involved” in the Crosby trade told Fowler that there was “No way Tom was sending Maxx to [Mike] Vrabel.”
“It’s starting to be a broken record here, where Tom Brady is slighting the New England Patriots,” Portnoy said. “When he was asked who the MVP should be, Drake Maye or Matthew Stafford, he said Stafford. It’s just one thing after another to the point that if you’re a Patriots fan, you can come to no other conclusion that he hates the New England Patriots.”
According to Portnoy, those moments have piled up enough to leave Patriots supporters questioning Brady’s loyalty to the franchise that won six Super Bowls with him under center. He said the pattern has become difficult for Patriots fans to ignore.
Brady, who spent 20 seasons in New England before finishing his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, remains widely associated with the Patriots’ dynasty under head coach Bill Belichick. However, his post-playing career has included multiple ventures away from Foxborough, including a high-profile broadcasting role with FOX Sports as the lead NFL analyst for its top game broadcast team.
Portnoy, a longtime Patriots supporter who frequently comments on the team across Barstool’s platforms, argued that the franchise has already given Brady ample appreciation for his accomplishments. In his view, Patriots fans should not feel obligated to maintain the same level of admiration if Brady continues to appear distant from the organization.
“We just put a statue up of the guy,” Portnoy said. “I say tear it down. Thank you for your Super Bowls — you’re just a guy. Go play your flag football game and go be in a million different ads. I don’t need you in my life anymore, and you don’t need us.”
Portnoy also offered a theory for what might be driving Brady’s perceived shift in tone toward the Patriots, though he acknowledged it remains speculation. He pointed to Brady’s business ventures and ownership interests as a possible source of frustration.
“He’s friends with Bob Kraft and played with Mike Vrabel,” Portnoy said. “So what is this hatred to the New England Patriots? The only thing I can think of is he wanted to buy into the Patriots. He wanted it basically for free just like he got with the Las Vegas Raiders. That didn’t happen, and he’s holding a grudge.”
Brady is currently a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, a move approved by NFL owners after a lengthy review process. Whether Portnoy’s theory holds any merit remains unclear, but his comments illustrate how even one of the franchise’s most celebrated figures can still spark debate among the Patriots’ passionate fan base.
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