The Fanatics Fest aka the “Comic-Con of sports” took place in New York City and it drew in GOAT Tom Brady, NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, and TB12’s longtime former teammate, Rob Gronkowski in attendance. However, it was a particular moment between Goodell and Brady that captured the internet’s attention.
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Gronk and TB-12 gave fans the experience of their lifetime as they walked around in each other’s jerseys and full football gear, pretending to be “super fans” cosplaying as the NFL legends. As their disguises were uncovered, fans were left delighted.
Brady even shared a snapshot of this disguise. In the picture shared on his X account, Brady and Gronk pose in each other’s jerseys, with Goodell positioned between them and Brady’s arm around the “commish.”
Goodell is not exactly popular among Brady or Patriots fans, given he’s often associated with one of the few blemishes on the GOAT’s illustrious career.
Patriots fans still hold a grudge against the Commissioner for imposing a four-game ban on Brady for his alleged involvement in the Deflategate scandal.
Brady clearly no longer holds any such bitterness against Goodell and with this latest photo op, it seems the hatchet is buried for good.
However, fans were not as forgiving.
Tom you’re retired, you can call Roger a clown now. You’re not gonna get fined or catch a case
— Chris Mahoney ☘️ (@CJHurricane781) August 16, 2024
A fan seemed especially incensed by Brady’s act of goodwill towards the Commissioner:
did u kiss Goodell on the lips when u saw him?
— ♟️ (@TerrabKnows) August 16, 2024
An impassioned Patriots fan seemed very upset by the picture and even invoked Brady’s “love of PatsNation” to urge him to delete the picture altogether:
Tommy I know you are a positive person & doesn’t like holding a grudge but for the love of #PatsNation delete this pic ! Will not hit the like button for the man in the middle !
— Cyndi (@CynthiaDe_ann) August 16, 2024
This is the ugliest picture I’ve ever seen.
— Cam Maxwell (@MameronCaxwell) August 16, 2024
The Deflategate scandal overshadowed Brady’s career for a few years, with allegations of him purposefully deflating footballs for an edge during the 2015 AFC Championship game., but is now well in the past and all parties involved seem to have moved past it.
So much so, that they’re now ready to joke about it too.
When Brady trolled Goodell over the scandal
As Netflix’s The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady was winding down, the former New England Patriots alum humorously brought up the Deflategate Scandal and poked fun at Goodell’s absence from the Los Angeles event.
With a grin, Brady remarked:
“We have so many football legends here tonight, but where’s Roger Goodell? Remember Deflategate?”
He then made a jest about the NFL’s million-dollar investigation, quipping:
“You could’ve just given me the million, and I would’ve just told you I f—ing did it.”
And, the audience erupted with laughter and applause at the joke with Brady’s NFL peers Gronk, Julian Edelman, Rodney Harrison, and Randy Moss joining in for a standing ovation.
At the Roast of Tom Brady, TB12 was witty about the controversy and it was perhaps the first sign that he has grown past any resentment he might’ve held against the Commissioner.
In spite of the scandal, Brady’s success didn’t stop as he went on to win three more Super Bowls- two with the Patriots and one with the Buccaneers. As Brady has clearly moved past the whole ordeal, maybe it’s time for the fans to too.
