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The feud between quarterbacks Tom Brady and Ryan Fitzpatrick is bizarre.
It’s easier to comprehend the bad blood between Brady and Peyton Manning because they were equal rivals during their prime. However, their rivalry was purely performance-based, and they had the utmost respect for each other.
Apparently, Brady did not go along with Fitzpatrick, a quarterback who played for nine NFL teams in 17 seasons. Likewise, Fitzpatrick defeated Brady only three times in 14 meetings. No wonder some football fans claim the tension between them was a publicity stunt.
But before jumping to a conclusion, it’s best to reminisce about the incidents that provoked a rift between the two play-callers with lengthy careers.
When did the Tom Brady-Ryan Fitzpatrick beef start?
Brady reminisced about his 2020 free agency journey in a 2021 episode of HBO’s “The Shop: Uninterrupted.” Teams reached out to him because he was already a six-time Super Bowl winner, with the most recent one happening in 2018.
When the conversation went to the teams who were not interested at the very end, Brady revealed his thoughts by saying:
“You’re sticking with that m*th*rf*cker. Are you serious?”
Fitzpatrick felt he was being referred to because the Miami Dolphins (his team back then) reached out to the Michigan alumnus. The Harvard graduate was penciled in as the Dolphins’ starting quarterback unless Brady joined them.
Eventually, Tom Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won his seventh Super Bowl title. Meanwhile, the Dolphins drafted Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Despite Tagovailoa’s arrival, Fitzpatrick started seven games that year and unleashed his “Fitzmagic” to save some games in the fourth quarter.
Further investigation revealed that Dolphins vice chairman Bruce Beal had contacted Brady as early as August 2019. It violated the league’s anti-tampering policy, as Brady was still under contract with New England. That case and the Dolphins’ communication with coach Sean Payton led to the forfeiture of their 2023 first-round pick.
Ryan Fitzpatrick says one thing, Tom Brady says another
A year later, Fitzpatrick still couldn’t ignore Tom Brady’s alleged comment about him. That’s why he was still irked about the three-time NFL MVP during his September 2022 guesting in Barstool Sports’ "Pardon My Take" podcast.
When PFT Commenter suggested that Brady was referring to Derek Carr in the infamous quote, Fitzpatrick reacted:
“No, it had to be me.”
But when Dan “Big Cat” Katz suggested that Tom Brady had the utmost respect for him, Fitzpatrick answered:
“No, zero respect. He never shaked my hand. I’ve told this story before, but it just p*sses me off because you’re in Buffalo, you’re playing them in there, and they’re kicking our a*s every single year. They’re beating us.
“And then, in 2011, we finally knocked them off. It was right at the beginning of the season, we had like this great start, and he threw five interceptions in the game, which was just wonderful to see, every single one of them.
"And he ran straight off with no handshake, you know quarterback, middle of the field, for the cameras, ‘Stay healthy, buddy’, you know. Pat me on the head and let me go.
“But he just ran straight off. So, it bothered me so much because there was no respect there. So it was like, every time I played him after that, I was like, ‘All right, let’s at least make this dude respect me.’”
Not long after, Tom Brady responded to Fitzpatrick’s statements on the "Let’s Go! Podcast" hosted by himself, Larry Fitzgerald, and Jim Gray. Brady said:
“I like to keep them guessing. Unfortunately, with this coming out, I’d have to tell him it wasn’t him. I love Ryan, but somehow, he’s got it out for me.
"I actually talked to Ryan Griffin, who’s one of our quarterbacks (on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and he said, ‘Ryan’s always all over you. I don’t know why.’ So, I don’t know why Ryan is. Maybe Ryan and I need to have a talk.
“Ryan’s a hell of a guy too, and I’ve competed against him. He’s a Harvard guy, now he looks like he’s part homeless, and now he’s on TV, doing [what] my future job’s gonna be. I think Ryan’s got a good thing going. I’m not sure why he needs to think I’m after him.”
All’s well that ends well for Tom Brady and Ryan Fitzpatrick?
Tom Brady and Ryan Fitzpatrick met at Raymond James Stadium during the Buccaneers’ 2022 Week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Fitzpatrick was a part of Amazon’s Thursday Night Football broadcasting crew, while Brady was playing in his 23rd NFL season and third with Tampa Bay.
However, it felt like they had buried the hatchet when they had a pre-game chat with Richard Sherman. Brady and Fitzpatrick shook hands while sharing a good laugh.
But as a TNF analyst, Fitzpatrick criticized Brady and the Buccaneers on the post-game show after dropping their third straight game.
Tom Brady will also be a part of the FOX Sports broadcast booth soon. When he finally trades the football for the microphone, he will respect that Fitzpatrick’s current role isn’t easy.
