Tom Brady stays neutral as New England Patriots chase Super Bowl glory without him

SAN FRANCISCO – Tom Brady may have a statue of himself outside the Patriots’ stadium and six Super Bowl rings earned in New England, but do not expect the franchise legend to pick sides in Sunday’s NFL championship game.

The man who defined Patriots excellence for two decades offered a decidedly diplomatic take when asked about his rooting interest in the Super Bowl matchup between New England and Seattle in Santa Clara, California.

“I don’t have a dog in the fight in this one. May the best team win,” Brady, who is now a minority owner of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, said this week on the Let’s Go! Sirius XM podcast with Jim Gray.

This marks the Patriots’ first Super Bowl appearance since Brady won a sixth championship with the franchise in February 2019.

He left New England in March 2020 and less than a year later won a record seventh Super Bowl in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It is a remarkably neutral stance from someone whose 17-foot bronze likeness greets fans entering Gillette Stadium, though Brady was quick to praise the organization that made him a legend under Bill Belichick’s guidance.

“And in terms of the Patriots, this is a new chapter in New England, and I’m glad everyone’s embraced the Mike Vrabel regime, all the amazing players that have worked so hard to get their club to this position,” added Brady.

“We did it for 20 years. There was a little bit of a hiatus in there, but the Patriots are back and it’s a very exciting time for everyone in New England.”

Meanwhile, NFL security chief Cathy Lanier said on Tuesday that officers from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would have no role at this weekend’s Super Bowl.

Recent US media reports have said ICE officials were expected to be on duty at the showpiece at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the home of the San Francisco 49ers.

However, speaking at a security briefing on Tuesday, Lanier ruled out ICE agents being part of the security plan for the game.

“There are no planned ICE or immigration enforcement operations that are scheduled around the Super Bowl or any of the Super Bowl related events for fans attending the Super Bowl during this week,” she said.

Lanier also said security plans for Sunday’s game would be consistent with past Super Bowls, adding that there were “no known, specific or credible threats” to the game. REUTERS, AFP