What made Tom Brady say yes to the Netflix roast? Jeff Ross finally reveals the surprising reason
In 2024,
legend Tom Brady did something few athletes of his stature would dare—he let himself be roasted on live television. Netflix's The Roast of Tom Brady turned into a cultural spectacle, drawing 13.8 million views in its first week and becoming the platform's most-watched one-off special.
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But what led the seven-time Super Bowl champion, known for his unshakable poise and ironclad image, to become the target of biting jokes and brutal humor?
What inspired Tom Brady to allow a roast on national TV?
The idea was seeded years earlier. Comedian Jeff Ross, the 'Roastmaster General,' recounted the story on The Howard Stern Show. According to Ross, the journey started when he noticed something peculiar on Super Bowl Sunday, February 7, 2021—Tom Brady had been browsing his Instagram. 'I had seen him looking at my Instagram on Super Bowl Sunday a few years ago,' Ross told Stern. 'I was like, 'Why the f--- is Tom Brady on my Instagram?''
Ross had some edgy jokes posted, and surprisingly, Brady seemed to enjoy them.
That same night, Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV victory over the Chiefs. The next day, Ross sent him a message: 'Dude, it's time for a roast. You obviously love this s---.' That Instagram DM snowballed into a full-fledged deal when Ross discovered that both their agents happened to work together. Netflix eagerly jumped on board.
While many wondered what possessed Brady to say yes to such a ruthless format, Ross offered insight.
'I said to Tom right beforehand, 'Why are you doing this?,' and he goes, 'I love this kind of humor. People are too snowflakey right now.'' Brady's willingness to embrace self-deprecating comedy revealed a side of him fans rarely get to see—one that doesn't take itself too seriously, even after two decades of football dominance.
The journey to the live roast wasn't smooth. 'It took so long,' Ross explained. 'Then he retired… then unretired… then was going through a divorce… then Netflix picked a festival date… and then we decided to do it live.'
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Of course, not every moment was easy to stomach. During the special, Ross cracked a joke about Patriots owner Robert Kraft and massage parlors, prompting Brady to mutter, 'Don't say that s--- again.' Ross later said, 'I think Tom was checking me the way a lawyer objects on behalf of a client.'
Despite its success, Brady expressed personal regret—not for being roasted, but for the unintended emotional toll on his children. 'I loved when the jokes were about me… I didn't like the way it affected my kids,' he shared on The Pivot podcast. 'I wouldn't do that again because of the way it affected… the people I care about the most in the world.'
Still, Brady's roast was a powerful reminder: even legends can laugh at themselves—until the punchlines hit too close to home.
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