Tom Brady stirs up controversy in the Patriots locker room

Tom Brady's statements ahead of the Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks sent shockwaves through the Foxborough alumni circle.

The former Pats icon, closely associated with the franchise's golden age, said he had no particular preference for the outcome of the game, a stance that has not gone down well with some of his former teammates.

On his Sirius XM podcast Let's Go!, hosted by Jim Gray, Brady adopted a detached tone, saying he simply wanted to see a good game and the best team win. This response was deemed too neutral by several prominent figures in the Patriots dynasty.

Among the most critical, Vince Wilfork did not mince words. A two-time Super Bowl champion with New England, the former defensive stalwart criticized Brady for playing it safe because of his new role as a minority co-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. In his opinion, there is nothing stopping Brady from clearly showing his colors.

Wilfork believes that when you've worn the Patriots logo for more than 20 years, there's no room for ambiguity. In his view, Brady should have made a clear choice, even if it meant favoring Seattle if he doubted New England's chances.

Persistent tensions surrounding Brady's legacy

Rob Gronkowski also took a slightly ironic jab at the subject. Without directly attacking his former quarterback, he suggested that Brady's legendary competitiveness could explain his apparent detachment. In his opinion, Brady would undoubtedly prefer to be on the field rather than watching from the sidelines.

For his part, Asante Samuel reacted strongly on social media. The former defensive back said he was deeply disappointed to see Brady not supporting Mike Vrabel, the Patriots' current head coach and former teammate. Samuel even went so far as to suggest a form of jealousy towards Drake Maye, the team's current quarterback.

Despite the controversy, Brady maintains that a new chapter is beginning in Foxborough and that simply seeing the Patriots back on top is already a victory in itself. Still, for many former players, certain loyalties should be non-negotiable.

This content was created with the help of AI.