NFL legend Tom Brady has sparked fury online after using an offensive slur to describe a player during a live broadcast.
Brady, 47, earned the honour of being called one of the 'greatest quarterbacks of all time' during his playing career, thanks to seven Super Bowl victories and five Most Valuable Player (MVP) honours over the years.
However, the athlete has had a less than smooth transition into his post-playing career, despite signing a hugely lucrative commentator contract with Fox Sports.
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Brady was seemingly able to use his glittering on-field career to his advantage during negotiations with the broadcaster, landing a 10-year, $375-million contract as a colour commentator alongside Kevin Burkhardt.
However, the sports legend's broadcasting debut was panned by fans back in September, with viewers criticising his commentating online.
Brady's skills behind the mic seemed to be going in a positive direction in the following weeks, until he decided to casually drop a slur mid-sentence while talking about player's performance during the Buffalo Bills versus Seattle Seahawks game.
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While talking about Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Brady used the term 'sp*z' while discussing the 28-year-old's playing skills.
"Sometimes he played like a sp*z, like a grade-schooler on a sugar high, but now he's controlled the chaos. He's like a storm coming into town and you don't want that storm coming into this town," Brady said.
Why is the term considered offensive?
A shortened version of the word 'sp*stic', the word derives from the medical terminology 'spasticity' - which is involuntary muscle tightening caused by damage to the brain or spinal cord injuries/illnesses.
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The word was later adapted as a slang term for a person who is considered overly clumsy or excitable. Howeve,r it is now considered derogatory, due to its negative use towards people with disabilities.
Brady's decision to comfortably drop such a loaded while live on air left viewers shocked, with many taking to social media to share their surprise at what they just heard.
"Did you hear Tom Brady call Josh Allen a 'sp*z' in the first half of today’s Bill’s game? Highly offensive to people who have physical disabilities as well as their loved ones," one user wrote on X, while a second added: "Someone's gotta tell him he can't say that on tv."
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Brady isn't the first celebrity to face backlash after publicly using the phrase, with singers Beyonce and Lizzo previously landing themselves in hot water for using the term in their respective songs 'Heated' and 'Grrls'. Both tracks have since been updated to remove the term following backlash.
LADbible Group has approached Tom Brady's representatives for comment.
Topics: Celebrity, Social Media, Sport, Super Bowl, US News, NFL
Brenna Cooper