Tom Brady Embraces Humor in Netflix Roast, Defends Against Sensitivity

Tom Brady's decision to join the Netflix roast last year was driven by a desire to challenge the current climate of sensitivity, as revealed by comedian Jeff Ross, one of the event's hosts.

During a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Ross shared insights into how the roast came to fruition. “I noticed him checking out my Instagram on Super Bowl Sunday a few years back,” Ross recounted. “I thought, ‘What’s Tom Brady doing on my Instagram?’ Then it hit me—maybe he’s looking for some laughs before the big game.”

This moment occurred just hours before Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory in Super Bowl LV in 2021. “The next day, I slid into his DMs saying, ‘Dude, it’s time for a roast. You obviously love this stuff,’” Ross continued. Their conversation quickly evolved, revealing that their agents had connections, paving the way for a potential deal with Netflix.

However, plans took an unexpected turn when Brady announced his retirement shortly after agreeing to the roast. “We were all set to go, and then he unretired,” Ross explained. “I thought, ‘No, we need to wait until he’s done playing. It’ll be more entertaining that way.’”

Brady initially retired from the NFL in February 2022 but returned for one more season before officially announcing his retirement in February 2023. Ross noted that personal circumstances also delayed the roast. “Then he was going through a divorce, and I thought, ‘Let’s hold off on this,’” he said.

Brady and Gisele Bündchen confirmed their split in October 2022 after 13 years of marriage. When the roast finally took place in May 2024, Ross asked Brady why he decided to participate. “He said, ‘I love this kind of humor. People are too snowflaky right now,’” Ross recalled.

On the day of the roast, Brady sent Ross a text that read: “No fear. This is what we do.” The event featured a lineup of comedians including Nikki Glaser and Andrew Schulz, along with appearances from celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Ben Affleck, as well as former Patriots teammates Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.

“He deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for agreeing to this,” Ross remarked about Brady’s willingness to endure the comedic jabs. “He took the hits so we could all forget our problems for three hours.”