Dave Portnoy has been one of Tom Brady's most loyal supporters for decades. The Barstool Sports founder literally went to jail for the quarterback during the Deflategate saga, handcuffing himself to three employees outside the NFL's New York headquarters. He's watched Brady win six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and build a legacy that most players can only dream of.
But now, Portnoy sees something alarming. The seven-time Super Bowl champion, who retired for good after the 2022 season, seems to be trading his football greatness for cheap viral moments. And Portnoy thinks it's time for an intervention.
“Can somebody please shake Tom Brady and tell him to get as far away from Michael Rubin as possible and stop lamifying his entire legacy,” Portnoy posted on X, formerly Twitter, late Sunday.
The trigger? A weekend of cringey behavior from Brady. At Fanatics Fest in New York, Brady and YouTuber Logan Paul staged a fake slap that fooled exactly no one. Then, during the World Cup Final on Sunday, the two were caught on camera flipping each other off inside the stadium. The whole thing reeks of a desperate attempt for attention — and Portnoy isn't buying it.
Portnoy isn't alone. Fans have been increasingly vocal about Brady's cringey post-football antics, which include everything from awkward promotional stunts to bizarre interactions with social media influencers. The GOAT, who once commanded the field with ice-cold precision, now appears to be chasing relevance in the strangest ways possible.
Why would a man with seven rings, countless records, and a spot in the Hall of Fame feel the need to fake a feud with a glorified YouTuber? Some argue that America's celebrity obsession is ruining the World Cup Final, and Brady's presence at the event only amplified that criticism. Others believe Brady is simply bored in retirement and doesn't know how to fill the void left by football.
Portnoy's plea specifically targets Michael Rubin, the Fanatics CEO who has become a central figure in Brady's post-football life. Rubin has been a constant presence at Brady's side, from business deals to high-profile parties. But Portnoy sees Rubin as a negative influence, pulling Brady away from the dignity that defined his playing career.
“He's not necessarily wrong,” wrote the original article, and it's hard to argue. Brady's involvement with Paul — a figure known for controversy rather than substance — feels beneath a player of his stature. The staged slap at Fanatics Fest, which was widely panned, only added fuel to the fire.
“Round 100 of this never ending beef at Fanatics Fest,” Fanatics tweeted alongside a video of the fake slap, as if they were proud of the manufactured drama.
Portnoy's warning comes at a time when some Patriots fans are already questioning Brady's loyalty. Patriots fans are furious, wondering if Brady is sabotaging the rise of rookie quarterback Drake Maye by staying too close to the team's orbit. Others have accused Brady of helping the Seattle Seahawks win Super Bowl LX over his former team. The drama never stops.
For now, Portnoy's message is clear: Brady needs to take a hard look at what he's doing. The legacy he spent two decades building is at risk of being overshadowed by cheap stunts and questionable friendships. And if he doesn't change course soon, the man who once owned the NFL might end up being remembered for all the wrong reasons.
