Tom Brady and Logan Paul appeared to clash during Fanatics Fest on Friday, leaving fans wondering whether the confrontation was genuine or part of the show.
The tense moment unfolded in front of a live audience at New York City’s Javits Center, where Brady suddenly appeared to slap Paul with his famous throwing hand as Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns looked on in visible surprise.
Brady later fueled the speculation by sharing the clip on social media, playfully captioning it with a jab at Paul, calling him a “dork.”
Fanatics also posted the back-and-forth, calling it “Round 100” of a “never-ending beef.”
Paul later leaned into the moment by reposting the clip on social media, offering his own tongue-in-cheek version of what happened.
“This happened because I was roasting Tom for beating him in flag football,” he wrote. “And he tries to smack me?? Horrible example for the kids. Aura: -100. +Blocked. With a torn tricep.”
His sarcastic response only fueled speculation over whether the exchange was a genuine flash of tension or a carefully orchestrated bit between the two.
Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, responded, “I tried America… will try again next time I see this nerd.”
The two were linked at another Fanatics event, a flag football game earlier this year.
The exchange appeared to stem from an earlier moment during a flag football game, when Brady—who wasn’t even on Paul’s team—fired a football in his direction after a play had ended.
Paul seemed to take offense, or at least played it that way, confronting the seven-time Super Bowl champion moments later.
As Paul charged toward him, Brady was seen backing away with a huge grin across his face, adding to the impression that the entire exchange may have been more playful than hostile.
In March, the two had another exchange at a Fanatics Flag Football event where Brady trolled Paul about the latter’s high school football career.
“Logan pulled out of a lot of fights this week. You scored 19 TDs in high school. No one cares,” Brady said to Paul after apparently ducking fights with former All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell — who actually is 2-1 as a pro boxer — and Rams pass rusher Myles Garrett, the single-season NFL sack leader.
Friday’s confrontation is just the latest chapter in the unlikely rivalry between Brady and Paul—a feud that might seem strange on paper but increasingly feels tailor-made for the WWE spotlight.
With SummerSlam season in full swing, fans wouldn’t be shocked to see the two settle their score inside a wrestling ring, especially after Brady recently admitted he’d love to have his own WWE moment one day.
“I need to get an invite. I’ve been waiting for [WWE president] Nick Khan to come up with some storyline for me to get in the mix,” Brady said on Thursday to Cody Rhodes on a live taping “What Do You Wanna Talk About?”
“I’ve retired from football, so this gives me a chance to get out there and remind people that I’ve still got a little athleticism left,” Brady said, hinting that stepping into the WWE ring is something he’d seriously consider.