When he was a player, Tom Brady was known for a few things — stacking Super Bowl wins, marrying (and divorcing) a Brazilian supermodel, being accused of cheating by deflating football, and personality wise, having a steely, serious demeanor. Nobody in the NFL was more focused and hyper competitive than Tom Brady. It even took him two attempts to retire!
Now that he is retired, though, we’ve seen another side of Brady. He is much more present on social media these days, and actually has a very good sense of humor. His television commercials, likewise, reflect a more playful Brady. Brady is also preparing to embark on a career as a broadcaster on FOX.
Perhaps there is no greater indicator, though, that Brady is ready to blend into the tapestry of outside-sports celebrity than his willingness to subject himself to a celebrity roast, which will be televised on Netflix on Sunday night, starting at 7 p.m. Central Time. Here are the particulars:
The GOAT is set to star in an upcoming Netflix special that will premier live on May 5. But this won’t be the usual starring role Brady is accustomed to.
Brady, who’s used to receiving deep praise and adulation from his peers, will transform into the butt of several jokes and jabs from his former teammates. That group includes Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss, his former backup QB Drew Bledsoe, and his future FOX Sports teammates Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski (Brady is set to join the network for the 2024 season). The title of the program: “The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady.”
The special, abbreviated as “GROAT,” will be hosted by Kevin Hart and will feature fellow comedian Jeff Ross. It goes live Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. And for those wondering if his former coach Bill Belichick will be part of the festivities, that answer is yes. Ben Affleck is listed as probable for the outing, per NFL Network.
It should be a helluva night, and a fun watch! Like anything these days, if you care to get frisky and place a wager or two (on a freaking ROAST, of all things), feel free! Sportsbetting.ag has odds on various roast prop bets, and here are five that I really like:
Which ex will be mentioned first?
Gisele Bundchen 1/2
Irina Shayk 3/1
Tara Reid 5/1
Bridget Moynahan 6/1
Layla Roberts 6/1
Megan Vasconcellos 12/1
Jessica Simpson 16/1
The most likely one is Gisele, but there is very little value with the odds so stacked in her direction, so I’m gonna roll with Tara Reid at 5/1. If I recall correctly, this was a relationship Brady was in early in his career, where she still had that “American Pie” relevance. Since then, life has not been all that kind to Reid, which makes her very easy roast fodder.
PENDERGAST PICK: TARA REID 5/1
Will “massage parlor” be mentioned?
Yes 3/1
No 1/5
If you’re wondering “Why would a massage parlor” get mentioned at a roast for Tom Brady? Do they have him confused with Deshaun Watson?”, I am guessing that this is a reference to Patriots owner Robert Kraft getting arrested in a Florida massage parlor a few years ago. Sure, it’s a roast of Brady, but no one is safe. 3/1 is GREAT value here.
PENDERGAST PICK: YES 3/1
How many Super Bowl rings will Brady wear?
0-3 1/10
All 7 5/1
4-6 6/1
Brady isn’t tacky. He will only wear one, but my guess is he will have the other six in a bag somewhere just in case he feels the need to remind people that he is TOM F’ING BRADY!
PENDERGAST PICK: 0-3 1/10
Which person will Brady mention first?
Kevin Hart 3/2
Jeff Ross 5/2
Bill Belichick 4/1
Rob Gronkowski 6/1
Drew Bledsoe 7/1
Peyton Manning 7/1
Ben Affleck 8/1
Randy Moss 8/1
Julian Edelman 9/1
Keep in mind that Brady will get a chance to roast his roasters at some point. I have to think that the opportunity to go nuclear on Bill Belichick is one that Brady has been waiting for, so why wait any longer than you have to?
PENDERGAST PICK: BELICHICK 4/1
Total Viewers on Netflix – First Week
Over/Under 82.5 mil
I like this one, because it’s not a prop bet that’s based on the actions or the decision of one person. This is a bet where you can dig into some data, and the outcome is driven by trends derived from millions of small decisions made by millions of human beings. That said, 82.5 million sounds incredibly aggressive, even over the course of a week, for a roast that has not really been heavily promoted in the mainstream, and is being carried on a subscription service. The Super Bowl captured 123 million viewers for the most popular live sporting event in the country. This is a Netflix special in the second week of May. What am I missing with this number? UNDER feels like easy money!
PENDERGAST PICK: UNDER
Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
