Tom Brady slapped Logan Paul on the side of the head during an astonishing confrontation at Fanatics Fest on Friday night, months after the pair were tipped to collide in a WWE ring.
Footage captured by the Daily Mail showed Brady and Paul exchanging heated words at the star-studded New York City event before the NFL legend lost his cool. NBA champion Karl-Anthony Towns and a security guard quickly intervened to defuse the situation, with Paul seen pointing at Brady as Towns tried to calm him down.
The clash began as the two discussed their meeting at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic earlier this year, where Paul's Wildcats FFC team defeated Brady's Founders FFC.
What was said on stage
Sitting on the same panel as the seven-time Super Bowl winner, Paul said: "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. I just want to say it... never forget. Never forget the YouTuber beat the football player."
Brady responded: "There were a lot of cheap shots in that game too."
After the slap, Paul posted on X: "This happened bc I was roasting Tom for beating him in flag football. And he tries to smack me ?? Horrible example for the kids Aura -100 + Blocked. With a torn tricep." Brady quoted the post and wrote: "I tried America... will try again next time I see this nerd."
Origins of the feud
Brady and Paul's rivalry began in February when Brady appeared as a guest on Paul's "Impaulsive" podcast and dismissed Paul's athletic ability as "cute," claiming he lacks the toughness of football players. Paul responded by arguing he could beat the majority of NFL athletes in a fight, a statement that sparked fierce debate before the two ramped up their rivalry at the flag football event.
Many have questioned how genuine the disdain between the two men is, with some dismissing it as an attempt to generate attention. The Daily Mail reported in March that, according to an insider, Paul and Brady are only playing up the feud to promote a potential WWE storyline. Brady had been expected to appear at WrestleMania earlier this year but did not show up at the event.
Brady's WWE ambitions
On Thursday, Brady revealed he is waiting for WWE president Nick Khan to call him about making an appearance. "I feel like, I'm retired from football, have the opportunity to go out there and showcase that I'm still a little bit of an athlete," Brady said at Fanatics Fest. "My boy Gronk's done it, I've seen Logan Paul do it. I think I could get in there for at least one match, right?"
Asked whether he would want to be a good guy or a "heel" in the wrestling world, Brady said: "It's such an easy choice. I'm a bad guy. I've always been a bad guy. I mean, I feel like when our teams did really well, I would always go into these stadiums and I would feel that... When you go on the road and you've had some success in the NFL, they don't like you. It's an incredible feeling when you work that entire day to basically try to send the crowd home early."
Life after football
Brady has kept himself busy since retiring from the NFL in 2023. He is preparing to enter the third year of his decade-long, $375 million contract with Fox after moving into broadcasting for the league. Shortly after joining Fox, he also became an NFL owner in controversial fashion, acquiring a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders in a deal that sparked uproar in 2024 over what many argued was a conflict of interest with his commentary role.
