Tom Brady physically confronted Logan Paul during an event at Fanatics Fest on Friday night, reigniting a public feud between the NFL legend and the WWE star. The incident occurred in New York City, months after the pair were rumored to be on a collision course for a WWE ring.
Video footage shows Brady and Paul engaged in a heated verbal exchange on stage before the former NFL quarterback slapped Paul on the side of the head. NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns and a security guard quickly intervened to separate the two. Following the slap, Paul was seen pointing at Brady as Towns attempted to de-escalate the situation.
The confrontation stemmed from a discussion about their previous encounter at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic earlier this year. At that event, Paul's team, Wildcats FFC, defeated Brady's Founders FFC, a result Paul referenced during their onstage discussion.
"It's just nuts to me how Tom Brady couldn't come back from us winning the flag football game that he said he was going to beat me," Paul stated. "I just want to say it... never forget. Never forget the YouTuber beat the football player."
Brady responded by referencing perceived "cheap shots" during the flag football game. The public animosity between Brady and Paul began earlier in the year when Brady appeared on Paul's "Impaulsive" podcast and questioned the WWE star's athletic abilities, calling them "cute" and suggesting he lacked the toughness of football players. Paul countered by claiming he could defeat most NFL athletes in a fight, a statement that intensified their rivalry leading up to the flag football event.
Speculation has persisted regarding the authenticity of their feud, with some suggesting it is a staged promotion for a potential WWE storyline. Reports in March indicated that an insider claimed the conflict was being manufactured to build anticipation for a WWE appearance. Brady was initially expected to appear at WrestleMania earlier this year, but did not. However, he recently commented on the possibility of a WWE appearance, stating he was awaiting a call from WWE president Nick Khan.
Brady, who retired from the NFL in 2023, is also preparing for his third year in a broadcasting role with Fox and became a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, a move that drew controversy due to potential conflicts of interest with his commentary position.
When asked about playing a role in wrestling, Brady indicated a preference for a "bad guy" persona, citing his experience as a highly successful, often disliked, player in the NFL.
