Tom Brady embraces a new side of himself with Gucci as Dave Portnoy pokes fun at his unexpected fashion turn

Tom Brady is showing fans a side of himself they rarely see. At 49, the seven-time Super Bowl champion has stepped into the fashion world as the face of a new Gucci campaign, trading his familiar football and broadcasting style for bold leather looks. His transformation quickly caught the attention of Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who jokingly questioned Brady’s new image online. While the trolling added some humor to the moment, Brady appears to be genuinely enjoying the experience and has even developed a surprising appreciation for leather.Dave Portnoy wastes no time teasing Tom Brady over his bold Gucci transformationBrady’s Gucci campaign features two very different looks, both far removed from the polished suits fans usually see him wearing during his Fox Sports broadcasts.One outfit features a dark gray and sage-green satin double-breasted jacket with wide peak lapels and matching trousers. Brady wore the jacket without a shirt, giving the look a much more relaxed and fashion-focused feel. A silver cuff bracelet and dark shoes completed the outfit.The second look went even further. Brady appeared in a black leather jacket with broad lapels and structured shoulders, paired with matching leather pants and pointed boots.That particular look gave Portnoy an opening to have some fun. After GQ’s interview with Brady was shared by OK! Magazine, Portnoy quote-tweeted the post with a short message aimed at the former quarterback.“BLINK TWICE IF YOU NEED HELP TOMMY!”The joke quickly added a sports-world perspective to Brady’s fashion moment. Portnoy’s reaction was playful, but it also highlighted just how unusual it is to see one of football’s most recognizable figures embracing such a different style.Brady, however, appears to be enjoying the change rather than taking himself too seriously.Tom Brady says stepping outside football led him to discover a surprising love for leatherThe Gucci campaign is not Brady’s first major step into fashion this year. In May, he made his runway debut during Gucci’s Cruise 2027 show in Times Square, marking a major change from the world he dominated for more than two decades.Interestingly, Brady said he did not have a close relationship with Gucci before the opportunity arrived. The initial phone call caught him off guard, but curiosity eventually replaced the surprise.“Not much, ironically, so it was a fun phone call,” Brady said about his previous connection with Gucci. “At first, there was a bit of like, ‘Wait, say that again?’”For Brady, the appeal was not simply about wearing expensive clothes or appearing in a major campaign. He viewed the experience as a chance to try something completely unfamiliar.“You have these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and that's how I saw it,” he said.The former quarterback also discovered that leather was more comfortable than he expected. His Gucci experience has even changed what he keeps in his own closet.“I’d never really done leather on leather before, but there are some leather pants in my closet now,” Brady told GQ. “I thought, ‘Damn, that’s actually really comfortable.’ I could see why people wear this.”Brady has not committed to becoming a full-time model, but he has left the door open for more fashion work.“I would never say never to doing anything,” Brady said.His reasoning fits the mindset that defined much of his football career. For Brady, trying something new is part of continuing to grow, even when it means stepping far outside familiar territory.“I always say the only place for growth is outside your comfort zone,” Brady said.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.