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Despite leading the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles during his historic two-decade run with the franchise, Tom Brady said he doesn’t have “a dog in the fight” in this week’s big game.
Brady’s stance generated strong responses from both his former teammates and current Patriots players.
Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane was among those who expressed anguish over Brady’s position. “Personally, it makes me sick,” Spillane said Thursday during a media availability during Super Bowl week, via MassLive.com. “But at the end of the day [he’s a Patriot]; He has a dog in the fight. So for him to say that, it is what it is. At the end of the day, he now owns the Las Vegas Raiders, so he has to do what’s best for him.”
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New England Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane (14) speaks to the media during opening night of Super Bowl LX at the San Jose Convention Center on February 2, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Cary Edmondson/Image Images)
Brady has a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders.
Spillane appeared in 13 regular season games in his first year in New England, recording 48 tackles.
Brady reflected on his record-breaking career in New England during a recent edition of his show “Let’s Go!” Sirius
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He added that he hopes to “see a good game” on Sunday.
Tom Brady watches before the NFC Wild Card playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Those comments did not go down well with Patriots greats, including Rob Gronkowski, who played with Brady in New England and Tampa Bay. Gronkowski said he has not discussed this week’s Patriots-Seahawks game with Brady, but suggested a reason for the seven-time Super Bowl winner’s neutral stance.
“He probably wants to be the quarterback,” Gronkowski said Wednesday during an appearance on “Up & Adams,” before adding, “He’s that competitive. He probably wants to be the guy in the Super Bowl right now.”
Two-time Super Bowl winner and former Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork described Brady’s opinion as “nonsense.”
Former New England Patriots player Vince Wilfork reacts before a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Paul Rutherford/USA TODAY Sports)
Another former New England star, Asante Samuel, weighed in, saying in a series of social media posts that he was “very disappointed” in the retired quarterback for “not supporting his former teammate, Mike Vrabel.” Samuel also suggested that Brady was envious of Drake Maye’s rise.
Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs argued that Brady’s role as a sports network announcer, not just a Patriots icon, explains his neutral stance. “Does Tony Romo still support the Cowboys? I’d be surprised,” Diggs said Thursday. “I think Peyton Manning still loves Denver. I don’t hear him say much about the Colts.”
Brady is Fox Sports’ lead NFL analyst and called last year’s Super Bowl.
