Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are playing for yet another Super Bowl on Feb. 3 in Atlanta. People in Indianapolis — and many other parts of the country, really — are tired of Brady playing in and winning Super Bowls. He already has five championship rings, the most of any quarterback in league history, and another win against the Los Angeles Rams would make him the oldest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl. (If Brady doesn’t get that sixth ring, Peyton Manning would remain the oldest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl, although he did it in 2016 with the Denver Broncos.)
Brady sparks deep feelings for those in Indianapolis who are tired of the winning, tired of him and the Patriots bullying the Colts, tired of this “greatest of all time” talk. There’s one criticism of Brady — and anyone associated with Brady, especially Patriots head coach Bill Belichick — that surfaces more than any other.
“Cheater,” as Facebook commenter Helen Foster put it.
Why? There was “Spygate” a little more than 10 years ago, where the NFL disciplined the Patriots for videotaping a New York Jets defensive coach to learn the team’s different signals. The league fined Belichick $500,000. But that didn’t directly involve Brady. “Deflategate” did, though, and it also had to do with the Colts. When the Patriots were playing the Colts in the AFC Championship Game in 2015, Brady allegedly ordered the ball boys to deflate the Patriots’ footballs, making it easier for receivers to catch the ball. The league suspended Brady for four games, in part because Brady destroyed his cellphone after investigators requested access to it.
“I think people dislike anyone who wins as much as he does,” said Matt Holdzkom, another Facebook commenter. “But in his case, he’s a proven cheater who got a slap on the wrist and he’s still out there.”
But some who might be tired of Brady winning all the time would still admit he’s just a really good football player, and sometimes you have to respect that.
“I really do respect the Patriots just because of Tom Brady,” said Rashid Cooper, a Colts fan, as he stood outside a CVS on the north side. “Tom Brady, he’s a pretty good player, bro.”
The prospect of Brady retiring from football gets those outside New England more excited every year — he’s 41 years old — but he’s already said there’s “zero” chance he’ll retire after this season. As long as he’s playing, look for people to warn against Brady.
“They keep fixing the game,” said Facebook commenter Charles Wickliffe, who, like many others, believe the referees favor Brady and the Patriots. “… Watch this game coming.”
Most will watch this game coming, and almost all will be cheering for the Rams.
Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.
Staff writer Ben Lashar contributed to this article.
Tom Brady
