A viral slap between a YouTuber with nearly 5 million subscribers and a seven-time Super Bowl champion had many suspecting a marketing motive.
Thursday at New York City’s Javits Center, Fanatics Fest NYC kicked off for a four-day weekend with appearances from all-star athletes, world champions, and Olympic gold medalists like Derek Jeter, Novak Djokovic, David Beckham, and the Hughes brothers. Myriad celebrity appearances included Logan Paul, who was labeled a “Dork” after getting slapped upside his head by Tom Brady.
Viewed over 2 million times on Brady’s account and about 10 million times on Fanatics’ account since it was posted Friday, the video showed the two squaring off with words before the retired footballer pulled his hand from his pocket and cuffed Paul’s ear in what Fanatics dubbed “Round 100 of this never ending beef …”
Dork pic.twitter.com/zKOfL6VUOE
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) July 17, 2026
According to Paul, who’d had over 8 million views sharing the clip, “This happened [because] I was roasting Tom for beating him in flag football. And he tries to smack me ?? ”
“Horrible example for the kids … Aura -100 + Blocked. With a torn tricep,” added the WWE star, referring to an injury he suffered during the WWE World Tag Team Title match in May when Angelo Dawkins landed on him.
This happened bc I was roasting Tom for beating him in flag football. And he tries to smack me ?? Horrible example for the kids
Aura -100
+
Blocked. With a torn tricep https://t.co/3EMBQwYT9M— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) July 17, 2026
Logan Paul has suffered a torn triceps and will be out of action for several months.
It is believed he suffered the injury when he took a dive from Angelo Dawkins at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
(Source: WWE) pic.twitter.com/OrmHcKx3xP
— Cultaholic Wrestling (@Cultaholic) May 26, 2026
During Brady’s appearance on the “Impaulsive” podcast, he said ahead of the Flag Football Classic, “You know what, I’m kinda, I’m actually a little worried for you ’cause … you’re a good athlete, but … these guys are on another level.”
While Paul defended his athleticism, talking about flips off the top rope, Brady called the acrobatics, “Cute … you know, I love WWE. It’s very cute.”
Warning: Language
(Video Credit: IMPAULSIVE Clips)
“This guy’s insane. The audacity of Tom Brady. I can’t believe it. Wins seven Super Bowls, thinks he could just go around and talk about this flag football game like it’s gonna be the Pro Bowl,” the host went on to say after Brady had dismissed both his own record and Paul’s reported all-state linebacker credentials, rushing for 1200 yards with 19 touchdowns during his senior year.
Before Brady’s team went on to lose to Paul’s in March, the longtime New England Patriot further provoked the ire of the podcaster by throwing the football toward his crotch as a whistle was blown for a penalty.
@TomBrady trolling @LoganPaul pic.twitter.com/uwsvcwuC6F
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) March 21, 2026
Whether the slap had been intended to boost Paul’s wrestling persona or was meant to be a prelude to some future collaboration between the podcaster and Brady, users across social media were inclined to believe that the entire thing was staged — some say even poorly — and that whatever financial incentive there may or may not have been for the football star, it wasn’t worth it.
“This sh*t is so stupid. You don’t already have enough money that you two need click bait? Yeah,” wrote one user, “I’m sure you assaulted someone with cameras all around you and it wasn’t staged.”
This shit is so stupid. You don’t already have enough money that you two need click bait? Yeah, I’m sure you assaulted someone with cameras all around you and it wasn’t staged.
— Alias Jones (@alias_cojones) July 18, 2026
Surely you have enough money to not get involved in this nonsense
— Winsly (@Winslydotcom) July 18, 2026
Money even makes the GOAT do silly things.
— ClevelandCollector (@Chuckmanintexas) July 17, 2026
I’m supposed to believe this was real? pic.twitter.com/YtcHUbRtsC
— Troy Sariah (@BlackBlessedLDS) July 17, 2026
Tom Brady & Logan Paul backstage: pic.twitter.com/dlLalJcMXh
— Proper MIDDLEMAN (@ProperMIDDLEMAN) July 17, 2026
Tom Brady and Logan Paul did the meme pic.twitter.com/G5U86rcMGN
— Politi_Rican (@TheRicanMemes) July 18, 2026
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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