New England Patriots
“That’s bullcrap, Tom. Come on now.”
Vince Wilfork didn’t take too kindly to Tom Brady’s noncommittal Super Bowl pick. AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper
Tom Brady has a statue enshrined in his visage just outside of Gillette Stadium.
But, the Patriots legend — who won six Super Bowls over his 20-year run in Foxborough — isn’t outright rooting for the Patriots on Sunday in Super Bowl XL against the Seahawks.
“I don’t have a dog in the fight in this one,” Brady said in the latest episode of the “Let’s Go!” podcast with Jim Gray. “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.”
Brady — who serves as both NFL on FOX’s primary color commentator and is a partial owner of the Raiders — isn’t known for making headline-grabbing statements.
But, given all that he accomplished in New England, Brady’s former Patriots teammate Vince Wilfork took umbrage with his 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.
“Don’t give me that political bullcrap. That’s just what it is. If you don’t think we’re going to win, just pick Seattle then, right? Don’t straddle the fence.”
“If you’re a Patriot for life, you know what it is. Don’t gibe me that poltical bullcrap”
Vince Wilfork CALLS OUT Tom Brady for saying he doesn’t have a dog in the fight on Sunday 👀😳 pic.twitter.com/17DF7o8nnC
— WEEI (@WEEI) February 4, 2026
While Wilfork was quick to call out Brady’s noncommittal response, Rob Gronkowski tried to do damage control when asked about his longtime QB’s comments.
“I’m not Tom. I haven’t talked to him yet since the Patriots have been in the Super Bowl,” the four-time Super Bowl champion said on “Up & Adams.” “Because he probably wants to be the quarterback. He’s that competitive. He probably wants to be the guy in the Super Bowl right now.”
Unlike Brady, Gronkowski didn’t leave any doubt as to who he’s rooting for in Super Bowl LX.
“I’m rooting for the Patriots,” Gronkowski said. “What’s great about the Patriots being in the Super Bowl is … it’s bringing back just how dominant the Patriots are.
“And there’s a lot of fans out there that are mad that the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl, which is great for us,” he added. “Because that brings back [that] they’re mad because of how many times we won.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
