NFL fans roast Tom Brady for comparing his career to Secretariat horse during Kentucky Derby
NBC Sports commissioned Tom Brady to pay tribute to Secretariat in time for the 50th anniversary of the thoroughbred’s legendary Kentucky Derby victory. However, the short clip took a bizarre turn when the seven-time Super Bowl champion compared himself to the American racehorse.
Brady compared his story with Secretariat’s fate. He first shared how Penny Chenery got Big Red by losing a coin toss in 1969. Then, the former Michigan standout shared how he got his break.
"I wanna tell you another story about fate, takes place about 30 years later," Brady said.
"A kid you might recognize just sitting in the bench in New England, backing up one of the best quarterbacks in the league (Drew Bledsoe). But then that QB gets hurt (after receiving a vicious hit from Mo Lewis), and the kid gets his shot to go in."
Tom Brady, a three-time NFL Most Valuable Player awardee, continued:
"Now maybe Secretariat would have become Secretariat even if he had a different owner, a different trainer, a different jockey. And maybe I would have found my way to a lineup, even if my good buddy Drew Bledsoe didn't get hurt that day in the field.
"But I do know the way it worked out for both of us. It felt a lot like fate. There are a lot of G.O.A.Ts out there in history. I'll always have my name mentioned with the best to ever do it. But I think I speak for all of us when we say we all kind of look at him a little differently."
“There was nobody faster, nobody greater.”
Tom Brady salutes Secretariat, the GOAT of the race track. #KyDerby https://t.co/wHMtDPfWhB
Several NFL fans took to Twitter to provide their reactions and criticisms of Tom Brady to this odd comparison. One of them tweeted:
"Sounds like this egotist was more saluting himself! What a obnoxious big headed a**!"
@NBCSports Sounds like this egotist was more saluting himself! What a obnoxious big headed ass!
Another wrote:
"Shame on NBC for making this piece about Tom Brady in ANY WAY! If you're going to salute a horse make your piece about THE HORSE!!!"
@NBCSports Shame on NBC for making this piece about Tom Brady in ANY WAY! If you’re going to salute a horse make your piece about THE HORSE!!!
Here are some more reactions from fans on Twitter:
@NBCSports When honoring an athlete, you don't have the host talk ad nauseam about their own career. If you want to mention Man o’ War (arguably the racehorse GOAT with Secretariat - both aka Big Red), Citation, Frankel, et al, great! But, keep the focus on the athlete being honored.
@NBCSports ...or you could get a narrator who was actually alive when Secretariat won the Triple Crown....
@NBCSports Thought this was supposed to be about Big Red !!! Way too much brady & not enough Secretariat
@NBCSports Tom Brady compares himself to a great horse yet he changed the rules of Football because he can't take a HIT like real quarterbacks in the history books..
no pain ,no gain and he changed football so he didn't have to take pain like the pro's,He'd never make it as a horse..
@NBCSports Just show NBC and the big media will lie about anything. Comparing a cheater to one of the greatest athletes of all time Big Red. 81m my ass......
@NBCSports I am tired of Brady. He went out like a bum as he should have!
Tom Brady and Secretariat are both excellent in their own right
Tom Brady appeared in 10 Super Bowls during his illustrious 23-season career. He also became the second quarterback in NFL history to win Super Bowls with two different franchises. The California native joined Peyton Manning in that exclusive group when he led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory in Super Bowl LV.
Brady also earned six All-Pro and 15 Pro Bowl selections. He also holds league records for most wins by a quarterback (251) and most career passing touchdowns (649).
The New England Patriots legend also won NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors twice and Comeback Player of the Year in 2009. He is also a part of the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Meanwhile, Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973 by setting the fastest times in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. He finished the Derby in 1:59 2/5, running each succeeding quarter-mile faster than the previous one.
There was controversy in determining his time in the 1973 Preakness because the infield timer malfunctioned. Eventually, the Maryland Racing Commission finalized Secretariat’s finish at 1:53, breaking Cañonero II’s 1:54.
Finally, he won the Belmont by 31 lengths and finished the race in 2:24. To this day, it remains the fastest time ever for a 1 ½ mile race.
In ending the brief tribute, Tom Brady said:
"I'm jealous, man. No one argues about who had better defenses or tougher opponents or whatever when it comes to Big Red. It's all right there in the history books, the way fate had it planned.
"So, in the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's legendary Kentucky Derby win, let's all salute the G.O.A.T of the race track who still captivates us with his legacy. There was nobody faster, nobody greater."