Earvin “Magic” Johnson is a legend in the NBA community. Widely recognized as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, the 5x NBA champion has had a stellar and inspiring career. This NBA superstar is also a fan of an NFL GOAT, who goes by the name Tom Brady. However, contrary to this, he once supported an opponent ahead of a Super Bowl matchup featuring Brady and the Buccaneers.
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Johnson’s admiration for Brady was made clear during the NFL’s “Deflategate” scandal. When many fans called for Brady’s suspension, Magic came forward and said, “I don’t want to see Tom Brady miss one game. If not, I’m not watching. I want to see Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.”
Magic Johnson did not completely support Brady ahead of Super Bowl LV
Ahead of the Super Bowl LV clash between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs, Magic Johnson appeared on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’. There, when asked if he wanted to see Brady win, Johnson started beating around the bush.”I would say that I love watching Tom Brady play the game of football. Because he is a champion, and he makes his teammates better,” he said.
“If you think about the greatest athletes we’ve ever seen play, Michael Jordan did the same, Larry Bird did the same. Tom Brady is doing the same, whether that was in New England, or now with Tampa Bay… I just want a great game. I love Mahomes, I love watching (him) because we play the game the same way. The no-look passes, the way he’s (an) entertainer out there,” he added.
It seems while Johnson admires the kind of player Tom Brady was in the NFL, he is a bigger fan of Patrick Mahomes. Undoubtedly, as Magic mentions, it is Mahomes’ unique playstyle that has endeared him to so many fans across the spectrum. Whether he’d be able to match Brady’s number of rings, is something to be seen.
Tom Brady and Magic Johnson both retired multiple times in their career
One other thing Tom Brady is well known for is his number of retirements. His first one came about in February 2022, which lasted a good 40 days before he jumped right back into the action. However, that decision did not work out for him, and he ended up recording some of the worst stats in his career. What’s more, his decision to unretire caused a rift in his marriage, which ultimately ended up in a divorce.
Perhaps the only other well-known personality with as many retirements is Magic Johnson. However, his reasons for retiring are much grimmer, and not entirely his doing. The first time he announced his retirement was in 1991, shortly after he was diagnosed with HIV. His second retirement came about before the 1992 season even started. The third time was in 1996, for good this time around.
Although, one cannot be absolutely sure about Tom Brady’s retirement either. The 40-day grace period is still not over, and there is always a chance that TB12 decides his career in the NFL is not over. However, this time the chances of fans seeing him on the gridiron again are low. Instead, one can spot him in the booth, as Fox Sports’ lead analyst, for the foreseeable future.
