Legendary quarterback Tom Brady appeared with President Joe Biden at the White House on Tuesday to celebrate the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2020 Super Bowl championship despite him snubbing former presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama.
Brady mocked Trump and his supporters during his speech at the White House, alluding to those in America who believed that Biden did not beat Trump fairly in the 2020 election.
“Not a lot of people think we could have won,” Brady said, reflecting on his own victory.
Looking over at Biden, he added, “In fact, I think about 40 percent of the people still don’t think we won.”
“I understand that,” Biden chuckled.
“You understand that, Mr. President?” Brady added pointedly.
Brady recalled he faced criticism during the 2020 regular season for forgetting which down it was at a game in Chicago.
“They started calling me Sleepy Tom,” Brady added, alluding to Trump’s “Sleepy Joe” nickname for Biden during the 2020 campaign.
“Why would they do that to me?” he asked.
Biden noted that Brady as quarterback and the Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians made history by being the oldest in their positions to go to the Super Bowl.
“I’ll tell you right now, you won’t hear any jokes about that from me… there’s nothing wrong with being the oldest guy to make it to the mountaintop,” Biden said with a chuckle.
Biden said Brady was “just about the best ever to play the game,” rather than the popular description of the quarterback as the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time.)
Brady’s appearance at the White House celebration was a surprise after he failed to appear for Super Bowl celebrations with both Trump and Obama.
The legendary quarterback failed to appear at the White House when Trump was president after the Patriots won the 2017 Super Bowl in a stunning comeback against the Atlanta Falcons.
Brady’s absence was a surprise to Trump supporters as the president had a longtime relationship with the quarterback.
After reporters spotted a MAGA hat in his locker during the 2016 presidential primaries, Brady defended it as a gift from a friend.
“I mean, it’s pretty amazing what he’s been able to accomplish,” the football star said about Trump afterward. “He obviously appeals to a lot of people, and he’s a hell of a lot of fun to play golf with.”
Brady also snubbed Obama after the New England Patriots won the 2015 Super Bowl, despite attending Super Bowl Celebrations during former President George W. Bush’s time in office.
But Brady may be looking for ways to signal to the establishment that he no longer appreciates Trump.
The quarterback announced in March 2020 that he would launch a global multi-platform content creation company for Hollywood.