Tom Brady may have said all the right things ahead of Super Bowl 60, but NFL fans aren’t convinced his emotions were truly neutral once the final whistle blew.
The legendary quarterback, who spent 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and won six Super Bowls with the franchise, publicly insisted he had “no dog in the fight” when New England faced the Seattle Seahawks.
Instead, Brady framed the moment as a fresh era for the Patriots, praising head coach Mike Vrabel and the players who carried the team back to the sport’s biggest stage.
Brady‘s comments sounded measured and supportive, emphasizing that his time in New England had ended and that the organization was writing a new story without him.
He acknowledged the long run of success he helped build and expressed excitement for fans who were seeing the Patriots compete at the highest level again.
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,” Brady said in the lead up to Sunday’s matchup.
Then the game happened.
Seattle controlled much of Super Bowl 60 and handed New England a decisive 29-13 loss. Almost immediately, social media lit up with speculation that Brady was quietly pleased with the outcome.
Many fans argued that, despite his public diplomacy, Brady wouldn’t want to see another quarterback instantly reach championship heights in the city where he became an icon.
Why fans think Brady was quietly pleased
Online reactions ranged from playful to blunt. Some fans joked that no one benefited more emotionally from the Patriots’ loss than Brady himself, suggesting his competitive nature wouldn’t allow him to fully celebrate a New England title without him under center.
Others took it a step further, labeling him “petty” in a tongue-in-cheek way, while admitting they admired that edge as part of what made him great.
Not everyone focused solely on the loss, though. Several fans pointed out that rookie quarterback Drake Maye showed promise on the Super Bowl stage, even in defeat.
From that perspective, Brady could appreciate the growth of a young passer without feeling threatened by immediate comparisons. After all, Brady‘s legacy is measured over decades, not a single game.
Still, the speculation highlights how deeply Brady‘s identity is tied to the Patriots. Even years after his departure, fans interpret New England’s success or failure through the lens of what it might mean to him personally. Fair or not, that connection hasn’t faded.
At this stage of his career, Brady has clearly moved on in practical terms. He’s balancing life as a lead NFL analyst while also holding a minority ownership stake with the Las Vegas Raiders. Yet Super Bowl 60 showed that, for fans, Brady and the Patriots remain inseparable.