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.
