Skip Bayless: Tom Brady fears Patriots’ Super Bowl will diminish legacy

The New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl, and Skip Bayless believes Tom Brady is among those who are frustrated by it.

Patriots’ fans haven’t suffered long enough to be back in the Super Bowl. But here we are. After beating the Denver Broncos 10-7 in a snowy AFC Championship game, the Patriots are heading to their first Super Bowl since 2018. More importantly, it’s their first Super Bowl appearance without Tom Brady since 1997. And after winning six Super Bowls for the Patriots during his playing career, Bayless assumes Brady is not happy about New England proving they can do it without him.

I don’t think Tom Brady loves this. I don’t think Brady’s going to love it for his legacy that some second-year starter as he was, flipped the switch right back and got the Patriots right back to the Super Bowl. I think it’ll in Tom’s eyes diminish his legacy a little bit. pic.twitter.com/ojR9xD3YWR

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 26, 2026

“I don’t think Tom Brady loves this,” Bayless claimed. “He’ll love it that Vrabel got to the Super Bowl so quickly after Belichick was finally run out the back door the way Brady was. But I don’t think Brady’s going to love it for his legacy that some second-year starter, as he was, flipped the switch and got the Patriots right back to the Super Bowl.

“I think it’ll, in Tom’s eyes, diminish his legacy a little bit. I don’t think he was rooting for Drake Maye today, and I definitely don’t think he’s going to be rooting for him to win the Super Bowl.”

If Bill Belichick was still coaching the Patriots, Bayless might be right. But with the NFL on Fox analyst long retired from playing, and Belichick since getting the boot for running New England into the ground, Super Bowl LX should bear no impact on Brady’s legacy.

The parallels between Brady and Maye are interesting, with both quarterbacks advancing to the Super Bowl in their second season while winning snowy playoff games on their way. But Maye getting New England back to a Super Bowl should have as much of an impact on Brady’s legacy as Colin Kaepernick leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl had on Joe Montana’s.

Maybe Brady doesn’t like Robert Kraft as much as he publicly says. Maybe there’s still a sting from leaving New England, even though he went on to win another Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Maybe he won’t be rooting for the Patriots, maybe he won’t be rooting at all. But Brady will be watching Super Bowl LX from San Francisco, resting assured that his legacy as a quarterback and a Patriot is safely cemented.