NFL

The Rare Times Tom Brady Was Seriously Embarrassed

Darren Ryding - June 26, 2024

NFL

The Rare Times Tom Brady Was Seriously Embarrassed

Darren Ryding - June 26, 2024

Tom Brady is arguably the greatest NFL player ever and perhaps it’s not really all that arguable. The seven-time Super Bowl winner has won more titles than any one franchise in history. However, some moments seriously embarrassed the iconic quarterback. Yes, Brady has amazing talent and success, but he’s still human.

Today we’ll look at some of the most embarrassing moments from his career so far. The veteran signal-caller has had truly cringe-worthy moments on and off the field. Of course, we’re talking about the worst defeats and plays as a QB as well as his personal life. It’s seemed like a lot of that has come in recent months as well, so let’s get started right here.

Homecoming Humiliation

2022 saw one of the most crushing moments of Brady’s long and celebrated career. His Bucs traveled to Brady’s hometown of San Francisco for an away game. There aren’t many things that excite the quarterback these days. But this was a rare opportunity to play in front of over 100 family members and friends.

However, the Niners seriously embarrassed Brady and the Bucs by destroying them on the field. Furthermore, their third-string quarterback outdueled the NFL legend in a crushing victory. Nobody knew much about Niners rookie quarterback Brock Purdy before this game but he received a lot of attention after the win (via The Guardian).

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Eli Manning

Most people agree that the younger Eli Manning was a decent quarterback with an elite resume. He belongs in the bracket below Brady and his older brother, Peyton. Nonetheless, the two-time Super Bowl winner always rose to the occasion against his Pats rival. ‘Big Blue’ enjoyed rare pivotal success against the ruthless Patriots (via Sports Illustrated).

Manning and his Giants team shocked the world when they beat the previously undefeated New England in 2007. This crushed the Patriots because they wanted to make history. It hurt more than their other Super Bowl win over the Foxborough side. But Manning inspired his team to another level when they faced each other.

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Goat Picture

One of the most cringe-worthy moments of Brady’s career was this GQ photoshoot. It saw him pose with multiple farm animals including this kid goat. The expression on the quarterback’s face says it all because it appears that he doesn’t know what is happening. But it’s a strange moment from his colorful life.

Then his teammates seriously embarrassed him by printing t-shirts with pictures on them. This was a simple but brilliant prank that entertained everybody that saw them. It also helped him establish his GOAT nickname because he brought it to life in the most literal way (via NBC Sports).

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Draft Day Tears

Everybody knows that Bill Belichick picked Brady in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. He won his starting job against the odds after an average college career. Later, a documentary revealed Brady’s emotions on the day. He discussed how he felt as each round went by. Finally, he succumbed to tears and flicked back his luscious long hair.

This seriously embarrassed Brady when he looked back. But at the same time, he pointed out that it was a life-changing moment. These days people don’t judge men for crying as much. Nonetheless, it’s not the macho image that he wanted to project later. Nowadays, he has a stoic, unemotional character (via Sportsbetting Network).

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The Boat Parade

Brady celebrated his seventh Super Bowl win the old-fashioned way. He drank copious amounts of liquor on a boat in public. This entertained many people but some criticized his antics because they thought he should set a better example. The quarterback agreed that it seriously embarrassed him. He also said he shouldn’t have thrown the Vince Lombardi trophy.

“I mean, that was not smart for a couple of reasons,” Brady acknowledged (via TMZ). “One is, if we drop it, that’s a little bit of a problem. But, the worst thing that could happen is the edges on that trophy are so sharp — and had those things clipped one of my boys in the other boat, it would have been an ugly, ugly parade.”

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The Favre Duel

It’s amazing to see the list of quarterbacks that Brady faced in his mesmerizing career. He’s been up against everybody from Brett Favre to Patrick Mahomes. However, he had a shocking display against the former QB in 2002 when the Patriots played the Packers. This was a terrible day at Lambeau Field (via Complex).

Brady passed for more yards than Favre that game. But he threw a single touchdown pass compared to Favre’s three. Meanwhile, Brady also had three interceptions, costing the Patriots the game. The quarterback was a positive difference in many other matchups but not this one.

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Too Old?

Brady was 37 in 2014 and delivered one of the worst games of his life. Many analysts believed that the quarterback was in the twilight of his career. They didn’t expect him to play for at least another eight seasons. He threw for a lowly 149 yards in an incredibly ineffective performance (via ESPN).

The Chiefs smashed the Patriots in a 41-14 blowout. It also meant that New England started the new season with a 2-2 record. However, this had very little impact on Brady’s stature. He bounced back to win Super Bowls and MVP awards. Many reporters say that the quarterback aged like a fine wine.

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Antonio Brown Reunion

Brady actively encouraged his Buccaneers to sign Antonio Brown in 2020. The wide receiver is one of the most polarizing players in modern NFL history. There’s no denying his talent on the field but he is a horrible human being. He almost killed a baby when he had a hotel temper tantrum. Meanwhile, he also had a horrible sexual assault civil case.

Brady isn’t the first high-profile NFL figure to put results over morals. But it’s disappointing to see him support Brown given his history. Then the wideout seriously embarrassed Brady and the team by storming off the field against the Jets. After the game, Bruce Arians said that Brown was no longer a Tampa Bay player (via Fansided).

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Four Interceptions

Some quarterbacks are interception machines but nobody can accuse Brady of this. One of his best attributes is his composure and his safe handling of the ball. He only threw four interceptions on six different occasions in his career. This clash against the Chiefs from 2005 was one of the most notorious ever.

Brady threw four in this game and completed 22 of 40 passes. This was a rare shocking performance from Brady and one that nobody expected. It’s safe to say that fans would call for his retirement if it happened today. Nonetheless, Brady shook off the cobwebs and bounced back (via NBC Sports).

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The Bieber Hair

These days Brady cuts a no-nonsense figure with short hair and mild clothing. However, the 2010 edition saw him attempt a makeover. We’re not sure if his razor broke or his favorite barber quit. But he decided to grow his hair out and provided fodder to thousands of rival fans on social media.

Even Justin Bieber became involved as he posted a video about the dodgy look. The singer rapped the line: “Sacked like a sacker. Call up Mr. Brady. Tell him to leave his hair to the guy who sings ‘Baby.'” This seriously embarrassed Brady because he had one of the world’s biggest stars laughing at him (via Bleacher Report).

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13-Point Favorites

Most people reading this probably still don’t know who Walker is. The Panthers’ backup found himself as the franchise’s starter for a couple of weeks. He also outdueled Brady but we should blame the Bucs’ defense. Tampa Bay entered this game as 13-point favorites but this didn’t mean anything on the day.

Some games don’t make sense and this was one of them. It also seriously embarrassed Brady because social media compared him to Walker. In the end, Carolina won the game 21-3 as the Buccaneers collapsed. Meanwhile, they fell to 3-4 after one of the worst starts to a season he experienced (via Sportsnaut).

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Botched Trick Play

Trick plays are often very entertaining. If a team successfully pulls one off then it looks fantastic. But if they fail it’s also great because rival fans have a blast on social media. One trick play seriously embarrassed Brady against the Titans because it was garbage. This came in 2018 when the Patriots’ offense failed to fire.

This attempted trick play saw Brady catch a Julian Edelman pass. But nobody ever said that Brady is the best rushing quarterback in the league. Space opened up in front of him but Brady tripped over his own feet and fell to the floor. It was a horrible moment for the QB but his haters loved it (via Larry Brown Sports).

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Wideout Tom

Brady became the first NFL player in history to win a game in four different countries. He achieved this unusual accolade after the Buccaneers defeated Seattle in Germany in 2022. However, one trick played seriously embarrassed Brady because it left him looking ridiculous (via New York Post).

The play saw Leonard Fournette turn from running back into the quarterback. He gathered the ball before offloading it to Brady who found himself in the wide receiver position. But the veteran slipped and fell unceremoniously to the ground. Meanwhile, Seattle’s Tariq Woolen then calmly gathered the ball.

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DeflateGate

Everybody knows that the Patriots were one of the shadiest organizations in the NFL. They did whatever it took to win, even if it meant stretching the rules or even breaking them. The videotaping scandal implicated Bill Belichick but Brady took the brunt of Deflategate. This occurred after the 2014-15 AFC Championship Game.

The NFL hit Brady with a four-game suspension after they ruled that he used deflated balls throughout the game. It was a dark moment for Brady and his team but it didn’t affect him for long. After all, he won the NFL MVP award and the Patriots also won the Super Bowl the following season (via ESPN).

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Goodbye Peyton

Many people like to argue that Brady isn’t the greatest quarterback ever. They’ll point at the achievements of Aaron Rodgers, Joe Montana, or Peyton Manning. The latter had a fantastic record against the former Patriots star. Indy defeated New England twice in 2009 including in the AFC Championship game (via Fansided).

However, their final on-field meeting seriously embarrassed Brady. The Broncos faced the Patriots in the 2016 AFC title game. Brady finished the game with two picks and a garbage 48.2 completion percentage. Manning also had a terrible play on the way to his second ring. But the Denver defense kept him out of QB jail.

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Unretiring

One of the worst things that Brady ever did was unretire. The quarterback played for another season after his Super Bowl win with the Buccaneers. It appeared that he had retired and was walking away from playing football. Meanwhile, FOX Sports signed him up to a $350 million broadcasting contract.

Then Brady unretired and pulled his cleats back on. This was a terrible decision for many reasons because it gave his critics ammunition. Some people thought that he was holding Tampa Bay back. Others said that it was ridiculous that he ditched his family to play for a losing team (via SBNation).

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Ripped Trousers

Brady competed in The Match for charity against his rival, Peyton Manning. The pair teamed up with Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods in the showpiece event. Manning entertained the masses with his trash talk and wisecracks. Meanwhile, Brady cut a more muted figure but deserves credit for his participation.

But there was a moment that seriously embarrassed Brady. He hit a phenomenal birdie from 150 yards after a horrible start. Then he bent over to pick the ball out of the hole. His pants immediately ripped in front of the camera and forced him to change his outfit. Golf has never been better than at this moment (via USA Today Sports).

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Carnival Dance

There’s a stereotype that white men can’t dance and Brady did nothing to change this. In 2011, he traveled to Brazil for Carnival and had a great time. He danced in front of the world but his moves became an unwanted talking point. The attention seriously embarrassed Brady because he was just having a good time.

Unfortunately, it’s not easy being in the public eye because people will analyze and dissect every move. This was when Pony Tail Brady existed and his outfit doesn’t help either. Some fans wish he replicated this dance in the endzone during a game. It would have been a hilarious moment of self-awareness. But he never did (via CS Monitor).

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Meme Face

The Buccaneers played the Bears in 2021 when age finally caught up with Brady. We’re not talking about his diminished physical ability but the mental aspect of the sport. He admitted that he lost track of his thought process during this game. It also resulted in an expression that instantly became a meme.

“You guys remember this one,” Brady said. “Fourth quarter, last chance in Chicago. I thought it was the second-to-last chance in Chicago, but not. I don’t think I’ve ever been as confused as I am at this moment right here. Look at that face.” Trust us, Tom, everybody saw that face (via Fox Sports).

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Uggs Spokesman

These days Brady doesn’t publically endorse many products. Perhaps his experience with Uggs traumatized him. They paid him enough money but the aftermath seriously embarrassed him. Brady claimed that he grew up wearing the shoes but we’re not sure if we believe him (via Town & Country).

“I think style is being so comfortable and confident in what you’re wearing,” Brady said in an interview. “That’s what style is, ’cause everybody’s got a different style. There’s nothing more comfortable or leisurely than having a pair of Ugg slippers on in the house.” Maybe he’s got a point but we’re not sure we’ll follow in his footsteps.

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Body-Shaming

NFL athletes are some of the most impressive physical human specimens on the planet. But some people had the temerity to body-shame Brady in 2018. He went to the beach with his ex-wife, Gisele Bundchen. A shirtless Brady revealed less physical definition than expected (via Men’s Health).

This seriously embarrassed him and it wasn’t fair because he is an elite athlete. It’s safe to say that the Patriots’ strength and conditioning unit knows more about peak performance than most Americans. But they still took to social media to sneer at his body. Toned muscles don’t mean that a player is in the best shape for football.

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That Hat

Brady continued his long hair trend into the 2011 season. However, eyebrows arose when he attended the Kentucky Derby. The quarterback’s fashion choices became a topic of conversation. His long hair fell beneath a Panama hat and he also wore a questionable suit. We applaud the audacity of his decision-making but it didn’t age well.

This is the face of the most confident man on the planet. Most ordinary Americans wouldn’t dream of wearing this look because they wouldn’t pull it off. In truth, Brady doesn’t succeed either but he’s the greatest quarterback of all time. Whenever people mention Brady’s hat, this is what they’re talking about (via Boston.com).

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Interception Machine

Many people called for Brady to retire after this atrocious display against the Saints in 2020. He had one of the worst games of his career in his first season with Tampa Bay. This may not be surprising because the veteran had a new playbook and teammates. In the end, they won a Super Bowl to end the season so it didn’t matter.

But this was seriously embarrassing for Brady because he threw three interceptions. Drew Brees made him look like garbage in their final on-field meeting. Brees also regained the record for aerial touchdowns from Brady during the game. This isn’t a day that Brady wants to remember (via e-Radio).

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Crypto Bro

Brady joined the ranks of people who invested in cryptocurrencies. He poured millions into notorious crypto firm FTX and may lose everything after the company failed. The quarterback won’t be the first celebrity to fall foul of dodgy crypto schemes. But nobody likes it when their investment flops.

However, Brady has a massive $650 million fortune so it may not be a serious issue for him. Nonetheless, it made him look foolish in public and that’s not fun. At least he didn’t ask the Bucs to pay him in Bitcoin as Odell Beckham Jr. did with the Rams. It could have been much worse (via Daily Mirror).

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Worst Start

2022 seriously embarrassed Brady because he suffered the worst start of his legendary career. This wasn’t all on him but he received a lot of criticism. That’s because he missed a lot of practice due to his issues during the preseason. The Bucs made a 3-5 start including a three-game losing streak.

This was the first time that Brady went under .500 in his career. Meanwhile, he became the most-sacked quarterback ever too. However, that’s because of his longevity so it’s not the worst statistic ever. Luckily, the Bucs played in a horrible division and could probably have lost 10 games (via USA Today Sports).

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2010 Divisional Round

The Patriots met the Baltimore Ravens in the 2010 Divisional Round. This was the worst postseason game of Brady’s career and it seriously embarrassed him. He completed 23 of 42 passes with three interceptions. Meanwhile, a sophomore quarterback named Joe Flacco outshone the GOAT.

In the end, the Ravens blew the Patriots away in a 33-14 victory. It wasn’t the performance that the Pats fans expected from Brady but everybody has a bad game. Overall it’s safe to say that Brady has had a brilliant career. But some moments hurt him as much as any other elite player (via Sky Sports).

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The Water Slide

Brady loves his downtime as much as anybody else. The off-season is a great period for NFL players because they spend time with their families and relax. This means participating in fun activities and eating what they want. In 2011, Brady went on vacation and enjoyed a water park (via Boston Herald).

An iconic photograph arose from the aftermath of this experience. It showed Brady rushing down a waterslide with his hands raised like a little girl. It was a beautiful shot that seriously embarrassed the quarterback. But it shows that he’s human like everybody else and enjoys the fun things in life.

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Goodbye Gisele

Brady married Gisele Bundchen in 2009 after a three-year romance. They spend the next 13 years together and appeared to have a solid relationship. Despite their public profiles, they managed to keep their private lives as quiet as possible. Their divorce was shocking in 2022 but it came after Bundchen lost patience with her husband.

The Brazilian supermodel didn’t appreciate the way Brady put football first. She wanted the 45-year-old to retire and spend time with his family. However, he continued risking his health because he couldn’t resist the bright lights. In the end, it cost him his relationship and they broke up (via New York Post).

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Week 1 2003

The first game of the 2003 season saw Brady post the worst display of his Patriots career. He never had a performance like this again in New England but this was terrible. He threw a career-high four interceptions and no touchdown passes in a blowout loss against the Bills (via CBS News).

This seriously embarrassed Brady because he sets high standards for himself and his teammates. However, most of the Patriots played horribly in this one as Buffalo won 31-0. In the end, this didn’t matter because it woke the Patriots up. They won Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Panthers.

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The Rare Times Tom Brady Was Seriously Embarrassed

The Rare Times Tom Brady Was Seriously Embarrassed

Homecoming Humiliation

Eli Manning

Goat Picture

Draft Day Tears

The Boat Parade

The Favre Duel

Too Old?

Antonio Brown Reunion

Four Interceptions

The Bieber Hair

13-Point Favorites

Botched Trick Play

Wideout Tom

DeflateGate

Goodbye Peyton

Unretiring

Ripped Trousers

Carnival Dance

Meme Face

Uggs Spokesman

Body-Shaming

That Hat

Interception Machine

Crypto Bro

Worst Start

2010 Divisional Round

The Water Slide

Goodbye Gisele

Week 1 2003

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