Tom Brady and Logan Paul faced off on stage at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 held at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City on Saturday, July 18, 2026. The two have been engaged in a public feud since the seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady criticized Paul, a WWE competitor and YouTuber, for not being a "real athlete" like himself, who played on the gridiron.

During the event, the rivalry intensified when Brady attempted to slap Paul after Paul roasted him about a flag football loss. The confrontation was quickly diffused when New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns stepped in between the two. Paul commented on the incident, saying, "This happened bc I was roasting Tom for beating him in flag football. And he tries to smack me ?? Horrible example for the kids."

Brady, who has been retired from professional football, expressed his desire to still showcase his athleticism, stating, "I feel like I'm retired from football, and I have an opportunity to go out there and still showcase that I'm a little bit of an athlete."

The two had previously competed in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, which contributed to the tension. Paul also hinted at future encounters, saying, "I tried America… will try again next time I see this nerd," and mentioned that Brady "would want to get involved in a match."

The event was part of the "This Is Why We Collect" panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026, featuring other sports personalities including Chris Costa and Wesley Sneijder.

Sources