Tom Brady Sparks Major Controversy After Making Concerning Comment Seemingly Excusing Animal Abuse

NFL legend Tom Brady might still be getting the hang of this broadcasting gig.

On Monday, September 22, a questionable comment Brady made about kicking "a dog" during Sunday's broadcast of the Cowboys-Bears game went viral, sparking chaos and a wide range of opinions from social media users.

This isn't the first time Tom Brady has come under fire as an analyst with Fox Sports, considering that in 2024, sportswriter Bill Simmons slammed the seven-time Super Bowl champion as just plain "bad" at his job.

During the Cowboys and Bears game, wide receiver George Pickens wasn't afraid to show his emotions, slamming his helmet on the ground shortly after their second loss of the season.

Brady commented on the moment, saying, "And Picks is not happy, yeah, those helmets can be ... it's like the dog at home."

He continued, "Kick the dog, throw the helmet, whatever it takes."

While Brady's on-air partner, Kevin Burkhardt, didn't respond, social media users caught the comment immediately and rushed to different platforms to express their concern.

Several social media users have reshared the clip of Brady's comments, questioning the former quarterback's statements.

"Did Tom Brady suggest he beats his dog when frustrated?" someone asked, to which another wrote, "What did Tom Brady just say about the helmet being like the dog at home??"

Another user wrote about Brady's comments being far off from what they expected of him as an NFL commentator. "Tom Brady comparing a player slamming his helmet in anger to kicking your dog at home isn't the color commentary I was expecting," they posted.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, spoke with TMZ and expressed their confusion about Brady's comments as well, primarily since they've known him to be "kind to animals."

PETA then reminded Brady of his level of influence and encouraged him to be more careful with his words.

"PETA encourages Brady to remember that millions of people listen to him," PETA said, adding, "that the language we use can encourage kindness or violence towards animals, and that we should never normalize taking our frustration out on a beloved companion."

Over on the DailyMail, other users expressed outrage at Brady over his statements, with one calling him a "giant POS."

"I hope Tom was just making a joke and has not meant that a dog can take place of a helmet," someone else commented. "Dogs are man's Best Friend."

And the negative comments didn't stop there, as another user blasted the NFL star and branded him a "totally stupid, disgusting man!"

"Promoting animal abuse, what is wrong with this jerk? Viewers will absolutely take this sordid comment seriously. Shut up, Brady," they continued.

However, a few netizens did rush to Brady's defense, urging people to go easy on the father of three.

"OMG, people, take a freaking break. Stop being sensitive little snowflakes, trying to find fault with every word someone says. First, Brady doesn't even have a dog!! Second, he was using it as a figure of speech. But snowflakes and sissies wouldn't know that because they are so consumed with being offended," a passionate poster shared.

This wouldn't be the first time Brady has received pushback from NFL fans and critics about his role as an analyst on Fox Sports.

In November 2024, Brady was roasted by Simmons, who called his Week 9 commentary straight-up "bad."

"That Lions-Packers [game], which I thought was a really good game, and I found myself [saying] I just really wanted better announcers for it. He just doesn't tell me enough," he said.

Simmons further explained that he wanted Brady to educate him on things he might not know as a viewer. For example, when Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love played through an injury, Simmons believes Brady's input around that would've been useful information.

"Brady's obviously played hurt," he said. "Romo would've dove into that, [and] be like, 'I can tell Love's hurt, and here's why. Watch this throw, watch this plant leg.' Just teach me something."

"Brady's not teaching us anything," Simmons added.

Brady's struggles in the broadcast booth are particularly notable given that in 2022, he signed the most lucrative contract in sports broadcasting history, according to ESPN.

Brady signed a 10-year deal to join Fox Sports as the company's lead NFL analyst, worth a whopping $375 million.

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch expressed his excitement over Brady's decision to join the team, saying, "We are delighted that Tom has committed to joining the Fox team and wish him all the best during this upcoming season."