Bay Area native Tom Brady has another big Super Bowl Sunday with high-profile commercials
Retired NFL great and Bay Area product Tom Brady found a new way to dominate the Super Bowl on Sunday, starring in not one but two celebrity-filled commercials.
Brady was born in San Mateo and grew up attending San Francisco 49ers games at Candlestick Park while living on the Peninsula -- he attended San Mateo's Junipero Serra High School and still has family living in the Bay Area -- and has cited those early experiences watching Joe Montana play as a major influence on his life and interest in football. Brady was even in attendance as a 4-year-old for the legendary NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys that ended with "The Catch" in 1982.
Brady's fandom for the 49ers ended when the team passed on him in the 2000 NFL draft six times. He landed on the New England Patriots and proceeded to break every NFL quarterback record in the book on his way to seven Super Bowl championships and five Super Bowl MVP awards.
Given his strong association with the Super Bowl, it should come as little surprise that Brady is now a secret weapon game day commercials.
The retired superstar was a key player in two big ads that had people talking Sunday.
In a humorous ad that served as a sequel to last year's Dunkin' spot where Jennifer Lopez tracked down Ben Affleck working at a Dunkin' drive-through, Affleck shows up at a recording studio Lopez is working at with his boy band, the DunKings. The band includes "Touchdown Tommy" Brady on keyboards and a reluctant Matt Damon.
The ad ends with Lopez inviting Brady to stay after dismissing Affleck and the rest of the band with a terse, "We talked about this." The commercial was a viral hit, racking up a million views on X and over two million views on YouTube.
The second commercial featuring Brady didn't get as much of a response on social media, but still had people talking while playing up the comedy angle. The long version of the BetMGM app ad premiered on YouTube two weeks ago, featuring actor Vince Vaughn as the online sportsbook's pitchman.
The ad opens with Vaughn saying that the app is for everyone who loves sports betting, except Brady. When the retired quarterback objects, Vaughn tells him, "The truth is you've won too much, Tommy. Let others have their turn."
The ad continues with a parade of people asking if they can use the app, who are all assured they have no restrictions. Except Brady comically disguised as "Tim Birdie, seven-time pool champion." Vaughn castigates the quarterback, "You already know the answer. Why ya putting us through it, with the clothes?"
The ad also features NHL legend Wayne Gretsky. Who is also allowed to use the app.