The New England Patriots will return to the Super Bowl on February 8 and fans across the Northeast are elated that they'll get a chance to continue their two-decade dynasty after such a short hiatus. However, a recent quote from the undisputed single greatest Patriot of all time has put a damper on their spirits.
Tom Brady appeared on the "Let's Go!" podcast and disappointed Pats fans — and even former teammates — when he declared that he doesn't have a rooting interest in the coming title matchup between the Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
"I don't have a dog in the fight in this one," Brady said. "May the best team win."
....Really? Brady won six Super Bowls with New England and posted some of thew best, if not the best, postseason performances of all time in a Patriots uniform. He was granted early entry into the Patriots Hall of Fame, and for the first time, an induction ceremony was held at Gillette Stadium to accommodate as many fans as possible — he's the ultimate Patriot, and fans across New England still basically worship him, which makes his non-answer hurt so much more.
One thing's for sure: David Ortiz would never. The Boston Red Sox legend isn't shy about his adoration for the club, even while dong his job as an analyst for MLB on FOX.
Tom Brady refuses to say he'll root for the Patriots in the Super Bowl while David Ortiz reps the Red Sox everywhere he goes
Ortiz proudly picks the Red Sox in many of his postseason projections (despite the choice being unrealistic sometimes), he still torches his co-analysts, New York Yankees icons Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez whenever he gets the chance, and he'll never pass up an opportunity for a "theee Yankees lose" chant.
In fairness to Brady, he is a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. It would be strange to see another team owner take a rooting interest in a team that isn't theirs.
But the Patriots gave Brady everything he has, as the Red Sox did for Ortiz, who began his career with the Minnesota Twins before he turned everything around in Boston. Other former Patriots had no shame in saying they'll root for New England, and some even called Brady out for his comment.
"At the end of the day, if you're a Patriot for life, you know what it is," former Patriot Vince Wilfork said in an appearance on WEEI. "Don't give me that political bullcrap. That just what it is. If you don't think we're gonna win, just pick Seattle then. Don't straddle the fence."
No matter how disappointed fans are with Brady, they can rest easy knowing Ortiz will never falter in his opinion of the Red Sox. Hopefully, the Sox make it back to the World Series soon so Ortiz can show Brady what it really means to be a Boston athlete "for life."