Just because Tom Brady is a household name, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the household speaks of him very well. After being hated by rival NFL fans for the better part of the last two decades, Tom Brady appears to still be having the occasional run in with the boo birds even in retirement.
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While attempting to participate in Fox Sports’ coverage of the Indy 500, the former New England Patriot made a promotional appearance, sporting a Fox Sports-themed racing suit. Unfortunately, Brady and his co-hosts were the only ones smiling as the rest of the crowd had taken to booing the seven-time Super Bowl champion.
Some were surprised by the sour welcome, but according to Jason McCourty, “people just love to hate a guy like Brady.” During a recent appearance on the Up & Adams Show, the former DB suggested that the crowd’s reaction more so a result of a poorly placed appearance more so than anything else.
“I love the fact that he’s big smiles, it doesn’t phase him at all. But, I guess for some people it’s like, ‘Yo, it’s the Indy 500. Brady is not a racer, get the hell off the stage. We don’t want to see you in this arena too. We see you everywhere else, we don’t want to see you here,‘” McCourty outlined.
Considering that he’s also a large contributor to the region’s AFC Championship drought, it’s fair to say that the locals didn’t appreciate his attendance. From Deflate Gate to the 2003 conference title game, Brady is certainly responsible for his fair share of heartbreak in Indianapolis.
When asked what kind of impact booing has on Brady, McCourty suspected that the “psycho” side of Brady was as fired up as ever. In remembering the intensity that Brady would bring just to the average practice, the NFL veteran turned analyst suggested that, even though he’s now working from behind the desk, Brady still keeps that same intensity about him.
“I remember when we won the Super Bowl in 2018, we come back in 2019, Brady didn’t come and do any of the offseason stuff until it became the mandatory minicamp. He would show up, Gronk would show up, only for the mandatory minicamp… And we’re all cursing each other out, the entire defensive sideline… That’s the level of competitiveness that he would bring… I can’t imagine it’s any different for him now.”
Seeing as his drive and competitiveness are what transformed him into a living legend, it’s unlikely that Brady has tempered that warrior spirit in light of becoming a civilian. Mix in the fact that Fox is currently paying him nearly $4 million a year to help improve the product, and it seems as if the retired signal caller is as motivated as ever to improve his performance.
While he may be tasked with mastering an entirely new craft, the lessons and experience that Brady gathered throughout his 23-year NFL career will surely serve him well. In the meantime, however, the network could certainly do him the favor of not scheduling any visits to the regions of his most heated rivals.
