Eric Stonestreet recalls how Chiefs GM Brett Veach embarrassed him in front of Tom Brady: "I will never forgive you"
Eric Stonestreet gained worldwide recognition by earning two Emmy Awards for his role as Cameron Tucker in the sitcom Modern Family. But while his name has weight in the entertainment industry, he recalled a short and "embarrassing" meeting with Tom Brady, no thanks to Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach.
Stonestreet shared during the April 16 episode of Julian Edelman’s “Games with Names” podcast:
“So, at the Super Bowl, Brett Veach, General Manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. I was headed to the team hotel. He goes, 'Bro, where are you?' I'm like, 'I'm like 20 minutes out, what's up?' He's like, 'Tom Brady's here,' like a kid, he's texting me. 'Tom Brady's at the pool. He's here with his kids. We got to go meet him.'”
The actor did not mention which Super Bowl it was, given that the Chiefs played in the big game in the two previous seasons. However, one would hope Stonestreet and Tom Brady’s meeting would be memorable.
It was memorable but for the wrong reasons. Eric Stonestreet added:
“I'm like, 'I don't want to meet Tom Brady right now. Now's not the time for me to meet Tom Brady.' I get to the hotel. He rushes me over and Tom, sure enough, by the water slide, sitting back in a recliner chair like this. Brett's like, 'All right, you go first.' I'm like, 'Bro, I'm not going up to Tom Brady right now.' So, he's like, 'Tom, Tom, Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family.' And I'm like, 'You have got to be kidding me.'”
The interaction led to Eric Stonestreet and Brett Veach giving the seven-time Super Bowl winner a new nickname. The veteran entertainer concluded the story, saying:
“So, we kind of approach Tom, he's reclined like this. He literally raises his shoulders two degrees off the back and he goes, 'Hey, nice to meet you,' and he just puts his shoulders back and that was our meeting with Tom Brady. I'm like, 'Veach, I will never forgive you for embarrassing me like that.' So now, we call Tom Brady '2 Degrees Brady' because he was like, 'nice to meet you,' and then just back down on this recliner.”
Aside from Modern Family, Eric Stonestreet had a recurring role in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He has also appeared in movies like Identity Thief and The Loft, and has lent his voice to The Secret Life of Pets franchise.
Eric Stonestreet is a lifelong Chiefs fan
It’s no secret that he cheers for the Kansas City Chiefs because he was born in Kansas City, Kansas, and attended Piper High School. Eric Stonestreet also earned his sociology degree from Kansas State University in 1996.
The 52-year-old announced the Chiefs’ selection of defensive back Chamarri Conner in the 2023 NFL Draft. In addition to the Chiefs, he is also a minority owner of the Kansas City Royals, like quarterback Patrick Mahomes.