Tom Brady slaps Logan Paul at Fanatics Fest, sparking WWE stunt speculation
A heated on-stage exchange between Tom Brady and Logan Paul ended with a slap, instantly going viral and fueling talk of a scripted WWE buildup.
The slap
On Friday, July 17, Tom Brady and Logan Paul shared a stage at Fanatics Fest in New York. After their panel ended, the two exchanged heated words. Brady pulled his right hand from his camouflage cargo pants pocket and swung at Paul, appearing to slap him across the face. New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns and Fanatics executive Chris Costa quickly stepped between them. Fanatics posted the clip on social media, listing Brady, Paul, WWE and the NFL as collaborators on Instagram. Within hours, the footage had been viewed 17.5 million times on Instagram and 6.9 million times on X.
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 responded on X with a single word: "Dork." He later added, "I tried America... will try again next time I see this nerd."
- 17.5 million views
- X
- 6.9 million views
Feud origins
The animosity dates back to February, when Paul claimed his WWE career made him as athletic as NFL players. Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion, did not take the comment lightly. The two continued trading barbs ahead of the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in March, where Brady made good on a pre-game promise and threw a football at Paul during the event. The rivalry has since played out across podcasts and social media, with Brady appearing on Paul's show last year to discuss the fallout from his Netflix roast, an experience Brady said left him feeling "a stake through the heart" after talking to his children.
- Logan Paul says his WWE career makes him as athletic as NFL players, sparking feud.
- At Fanatics Flag Football Classic, Tom Brady throws a ball at Paul.
- Brady tells Cody Rhodes he wants a WWE storyline.
- Brady slaps Paul on stage at Fanatics Fest; clip goes viral.
WWE ambitions
One day before the slap, Brady appeared on a podcast with WWE superstar Cody Rhodes and openly pitched a storyline. "I need to get an invite. I've been waiting for Nick Khan to come up with some storyline for me to get in the mix," Brady said. "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." Paul, who has been signed to WWE since 2022, is currently sidelined with a torn tricep but remains a prominent figure. In a recent ESPN interview, he described his relationship with the company: "I'm an independent contractor with the WWE, and I respect the WWE.... They pay me handsomely -- extremely handsomely, may I add."
Staged or real?
The timing of the slap, Brady's podcast comments, and the coordinated social media rollout immediately led fans to question the altercation's authenticity. One X user wrote, "Real slap but completely staged. Logan Paul's first reaction after getting bitch slapped in front of a public audience was to take a few steps back.... Choreographed to build tension for the WWE event." Another added, "obviously marketing strategy. tom you're better than that." The Hollywood Reporter noted that upon closer inspection, Brady's hand appeared to miss Paul's face and only made contact with his shoulder.
What comes next
Neither Brady nor Paul has confirmed a WWE match, but Brady's promise to "try again next time I see this nerd" keeps the door open. With Paul's wrestling pedigree and Brady's expressed interest, a scripted showdown seems plausible. For now, the slap has delivered exactly what both men likely wanted: millions of views and a fresh storyline.
