Tom Brady calls 'Tom Terrific' trademark backlash 'unfortunate,' has no plans to sell gear
Tom Brady expressed regret Thursday after his bid to trademark the nickname “Tom Terrific” drew a backlash from critics who accused the New England Patriots star of trying to steal the title from New York Mets legend Tom Seaver.
Brady, who filed to trademark “Tom Terrific” for use in T-shirts and trading cards, said he has no plans to sell any gear that features the nickname. Instead, the Patriots QB star claims he applied for the trademark to block others who might attempt to use it on apparel in reference to him.
“It’s unfortunate. I was actually trying to do something because I didn’t like the nickname and I wanted to make sure no one used it because some people wanted to use it,” Brady told reporters on Thursday. “So I was trying to keep people from using it, and then it got spun around into something different than what it was. Good lesson learned, and I’ll try to do things a little different in the future.”
Seaver, 74, earned the “Tom Terrific” moniker during a storied career with the Mets and several other MLB franchises. The former ace was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992, and the Mets have retired his number 41 in honor of his contributions to the team.
Brady’s bid for the trademark drew a harsh rebuke from Mets fans, as well as New York lawmakers Rep. Steve King and Rep. Tom Suozzi. It’s unclear if Brady’s application for the trademark is still active.
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“I don’t like the nickname. I don’t like when people probably give me many nice compliments, certainly that,” Brady added. “It wasn’t anything I was trying to do out of any disrespect or ill-manner or anything like that.”
Brady has led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl wins, including a victory against the L.A. Rams this year.