“I am Tom Brady, and I am a Patriot.” That’s what Tom Brady said back in 2024 after he was enshrined in the New England Patriots Hall of Fame, where he built a dynasty and led the franchise to six Super Bowl titles. Less than two years later, however, Brady refused to root for his former team when the Patriots faced the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.

Brady may have his own reasons, but that doesn’t mean former and current Patriots players were fans of his decision not to support New England. Linebacker Robert Spillane, who was in his first season with the Patriots, was one of them. Now, Spillane has reiterated that Brady’s comments irritated him.

“It irritated me, and it made me feel sad for him,” said Spillane. “Spending 20 years here obviously went on to do amazing great things not only on the football field but in the community, and to say that he had no care in the world. It irritated me. It made me feel sad for him, but at the end of the day, that was just my personal opinion. Everyone else has their own opinions in the locker room.”

It’s not the first time Spillane has taken a dig at Brady. After Brady’s non-endorsement for the Patriots gained traction, the veteran linebacker noted that it “personally makes me sick.” However, it won’t be wrong to say that Brady’s post-retirement career was one reason why the former New England quarterback remained neutral.

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Since retiring from the NFL, Brady has transitioned into a FOX analyst, while also serving as the Las Vegas Raiders‘ minority owner. The Patriots legend has dominated headlines for his conflict of interest while maintaining both roles.

Of course, Brady wasn’t announcing the Patriots vs. Seahawks Super Bowl matchup. But the Raiders were expected to hire then-Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their next head coach for the 2026 season. Ultimately, they did hire Kubiak, but Brady’s comments about staying neutral during Super Bowl LX sparked criticism among the NFL community.

“I don’t have a dog in the fight in this one. May the best team win,” Brady had said. “And in terms of the Patriots, this is a new chapter in New England, and I’m glad everyone’s embraced the Mike Vrabel regime, all the amazing players that have worked so hard to get their club to this position. We did it for 20 years. There was a little bit of a hiatus in there, but the Patriots are back and it’s a very exciting time for everyone in New England.”

As that went down, his former teammate, Vince Wilfork, called Brady out, while one of his close friends, Rob Gronkowski, suggested that Brady’s non-endorsement for the Patriots could mean his desire to play once again. Robert Spillane, however, knew what Brady was doing.

“He has a dog in the fight,” the LB said at that time. “For him to say that, it is what it is, but at the end of the day, he’s an owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. So he has to do what’s best for him.”

That said, the Patriots lost the Super Bowl 29-13 to the Seahawks. Now, New England is heading into the 2026 season, with head coach Mike Vrabel set to start his second season as the team’s head coach.