The lead-up to Super Bowl LX has been filled with more controversy than any before it. It started with the Hall of Fame snubs of both Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft, then quarterback Drake Maye finished in second place in the closest MVP race since 2003, and now seemingly every New England Patriots legend has emerged to call out Tom Brady for his refusal to cheer on the team he played 20 seasons for.
Two-time Super Bowl champion Rob Ninkovich is the latest to provide his opinion on Brady’s comments.
He joined “WEEI Afternoons” on radio row to provide his two-sided assessment of the situation.
“You would think that he has 20 years of time and love into New England that he would say, ‘Yeah, I want New England to win,’” Ninkovich said. “It’s a little odd, but, you know, Tom’s maybe a little odd.”
Ninkovich then shared a personal anecdote about why seven-time Super Bowl champions like Brady are allowed, or even expected, to be a little odd.
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“My grandpa always used to tell me… he’d talk about levels in life. And as you climb the levels, you become an alien,” Ninkovich said. “They don’t eat what we eat, they don’t live how we live, they don’t drive how we drive, and they don’t fly like we fly. They’re ina. different stratosphere of life.
“As you go up the levels, you start to become less human, and you’re an alien. I think Tom’s at the alien level.”
And for those saying Brady’s comments are a non-issue, Ninkovich made it clear that the fans are justified in being bothered by his noncommittal response. Ninkovich said he himself is bothered.
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“As a teammate, I would be bothered,” Ninkovich said. “The Patriots are what you are. I’m a Patriot.
“When you’re with somebody for that long, and you lived in an area for that long, you’re so tied to that community forever. I mean, shoot, you got a statue outside forever. You gotta say ‘I want the Patriots to win!’”
