Dave Portnoy eviscerates ‘cringey’ Tom Brady’s ‘lame’ post-NFL career: ‘Downfall of an icon’

Dave Portnoy called out Tom Brady for being “cringey” and “lame” in a scathing “Wake Up Barstool” rant. The Barstool Sports creator told listeners on Monday that “what is happening with Tom Brady post-retirement is one of the great downfalls of an icon.” He specifically mentioned the ex-NFL player, 48, recently “chopping it up with Logan Paul,” referencing Brady’s staged feud with the WWE wrestler at Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Fest in New York City. Dave Portnoy railed against Tom Brady’s post-retirement antics on Monday. Instagram/wakeupbarstool During Monday’s “Wake Up Barstool,” Portnoy blasted Brady’s Fanatics Fest 2026 appearance over the weekend — including his staged feud with Logan Paul. Getty Images for Fanatics Not only did Brady make headlines for slapping the 31-year-old onstage at the Javits Center, but he also gave Paul the bird in a video from the FIFA World Cup Final 2026. “[This is] a legacy that is being lame-ified,” Portnoy said of the viral moments. “You don’t want to see him mixed up in lowbrow TikTok flag football leagues in Saudi Arabia or whatever it is. Everything about him is cringey right now to me.” He agreed with Brandon Walker likening Brady to Haliey Welch, the “Hawk Tuah” girl who went viral in 2024. Portnoy dubbed Brady’s legacy “cringey” and “lame-ified.” Instagram/wakeupbarstool He specifically blasted Brady’s connection to Michael Rubin (pictured above together), calling the athlete the Fanatics founder’s “puppet.” Charles Guerin/ABACAPRESS.COM / SplashNews.com Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! Walker explained, “He has become somebody who looks like he is trying to get to a spotlight, trying to get attention … and Tom Brady shouldn’t have to do things designed for your entertainment.” Portnoy specifically hit out at Brady’s pal Michael Rubin, alleging that the Fanatics CEO can “lame-ify the coolest guys in the world.” Noting that the former quarterback is the same “level star” as Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, Wayne Gretzky and David Beckham, Portnoy insisted Brady “should be above the fray — not Michael Rubin’s puppet.” Portnoy, similarly, tweeted on Sunday, “Can somebody please shake Tom Brady and tell him to get as far away from Michael Rubin as possible and stop lame-ifying his entire legacy.” Portnoy (pictured above with Brandon Walker) believes Brady is so famous, he should stay “above the fray.” Instagram/wakeupbarstool Brady has yet to comment on Portnoy’s shade. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock He also wrote that he is “glad” he doesn’t have to “pretend this isn’t lame” since Brady has distanced himself from the New England Patriots, a team Portnoy is a diehard fan of. Brady’s rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment. The athlete, who played for the NFL between 2000 and 2022, posted about his weekend antics at Fanatics Fest via Instagram. He posted about his weekend appearance, writing, “Had to rise from the dead (retirement 😭) for @fanatics games.” Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com Brady (pictured above in November 2022) retired in 2022 after 23 NFL seasons. Getty Images “Had to rise from the dead (retirement 😭) for @fanatics games,” he wrote. Brady also shared a Rubin-filled slideshow documenting his time at the FIFA World Cup 2026, which he dubbed “one of the greatest month long sporting events.” The seven-time Super Bowl winner gushed, “To everyone who made this month what it was, friends, family, and the athletes from around the world who stepped in the arena… these are the memories we’ll be talking about for the rest of our lives and I’m glad I made them with you.” Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!