New England Patriots
“You know I got your back RKK.”
It’s been over six years since the last time Tom Brady donned a Patriots uniform, and he harshly reminded fans of that this week.
The legendary former New England quarterback made headlines when he said he wasn’t rooting for his old team, in which he won six Super Bowl titles with, in Super Bowl LX.
“I don’t have a dog in the fight in this one,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “May the best team win. And in terms of the Patriots, this is a new chapter in New England, and I’m glad everyone’s embraced the Mike Vrabel regime, all the amazing players that have worked so hard to get their club to this position. We did it for 20 years. There was a little bit of a hiatus in there, but the Patriots are back and it’s a very exciting time for everyone in New England.”
However, with less than 48 hours until kickoff between the Patriots and Seahawks in a Super Bowl rematch (in which he defeated Seattle in comeback fashion on the same stage 11 years ago), Brady appears to have changed his tune a bit.
In a story he shared on his personal Instagram account, Brady posted a picture of himself and Patriots owner Robert Kraft with a caption expressing support for the owner and his team.
“You know I got your back RKK,” Brady said.
“Get that 7th ring so we can match.”
The 48-year-old, who is FOX’s top NFL color commentator and a partial owner of the Raiders, received heavy backlash for his unwillingness to publicly support the Patriots in their Super Bowl title chase. Former teammate Vince Wilfork and current player Robert Spillane were among those to express distaste for Brady’s comments.
“That’s bull-crap, Tom. Come on now,” Wilfork said on WEEI Wednesday. “This ain’t political, what it is. Raiders ain’t in it. Say what it is. What, what do you see? … Man, look, at the end of the day, if you’re a ‘Patriot for life,’ you know what it is.”
Spillane didn’t hold back, either. He cited Brady’s previous
“He is, and he has a dog in the fight,” Spillane said Thursday when asked by a reporter if his anger is because of Brady’s prior pledge in support of the Patriots. “For him to say that, it is what it is. But at the end of the day, he’s an owner of the Las Vegas Raiders now. So he has to do what’s best for him.”
“Personally, it makes me sick,” he added.
The Patriots had a statue of Brady built outside of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough that was revealed in August last year. Brady attended and spoke at the ceremony, in which he expressed his love and gratitude for the Patriots organization and its fans.
“I’ve said this before, but I want to say it again. I’m humbled and honored to have been part of this organization for 20 incredible years,” Brady said. “You guys shaped my life and the life of my family, and for that, I’m forever grateful. I hope I’ve given to you as much as you have given to me. Thank you, New England. I love you.”
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