Tom Brady remark on TV sparks animal-rights backlash

Tom Brady's 'kick the dog' remark on Fox's Sunday NFL action has triggered backlash from fans and prompted a response from the animal-rights group PETA. The comment came during the Bears' upset of the visiting Cowboys in Chicago, as Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens was seen angrily slamming his helmet down on the sideline.

During the Fox broadcast, Brady said, "And Picks is not happy, yeah, those moments can be… like the dog at home," followed by, "Kick the dog, throw the helmet, whatever it takes."

PETA did not accuse Brady of encouraging animal abuse, but urged him to choose words carefully given the reach of his platform. "PETA encourages Brady to remember that millions of people listen to him, that the language we use can encourage kindness or violence towards animals, and that we should never normalize taking our frustration out on a beloved companion," the group said.

Online reaction quickly followed, with critics labeling the remark as promoting animal abuse. One commenter wrote on X, "Tom Brady just promoted animal abuse on national television." Others questioned what had been heard, while some defended Brady as speaking in the heat of a game. Fox Sports did not respond to Daily Mail's request for comment on Sunday.

Brady has a personal history with dogs. He and ex-wife Gisele Bündchen rescued a dog named Lua in 2016; Lua died in 2023, prompting Brady to post tributes about the pet and his children. In recent years Brady has been Fox Sports' top game analyst, a high-profile role he balances with minority ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders.

The dual roles have spurred scrutiny about media access to teams and potential conflicts of interest in NFL coverage. Antonio Pierce, the former Raiders head coach now with CBS, suggested Brady has long been an informal source of information for the Raiders. "Tom Brady is the elite of the elite, one of the greatest quarterbacks... and you'd be foolish enough to think that he's not gonna share that with the Raiders because we had those conversations about certain things," Pierce said on SiriusXM's Mad Dog Sports Radio. He added that Brady could be helpful in practice observations, noting, "It's not hard for him to watch a few things on a Friday practice or hear things in a production meeting and be like, 'Hmm,' and have tidbits."

Pierce later acknowledged the potential dilemma the arrangement creates, saying he would be nervous about being on the other side of the dynamic and would be tight-lipped about what he would share. The remarks underscore ongoing debate about the boundaries between Brady's media work and his ownership interests, as well as how much information a current team should be allowed to access through broadcast partners.

As Brady continues to navigate a high-profile role in football media while maintaining an ownership stake in a NFL team, observers say the episode highlights broader questions about accountability, influence, and the standards broadcasters are expected to meet when discussing sensitive topics on national television.