Robert Spillane, the Patriots linebacker, just dropped a truth bomb on WEEI, revealing that Tom Brady’s infamous “I don’t have a dog in the fight” remark before the Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl didn’t just irritate him, it made him feel “sad for him.” This isn’t just a casual jab, this is Spillane, a guy who probably still sees Brady’s statue outside the Patriots’ stadium every day, opening up about a deep-seated reaction to a legend’s words about *our* Hawks in the biggest game.
The “Sick” Feeling That Turned to Sadness
You remember that Super Bowl, right? The stakes were sky-high, and then Brady, a Patriots legend for twenty years, reportedly said he had “no dog in the fight” when it came to his former team playing the Seahawks. Spillane said back then that it “personally it makes me sick.” Now, years later, the feeling clearly hasn’t faded. When asked if other players felt it too, Spillane told WEEI, “It irritated me, and it made me feel sad for him, spending 20 years here, obviously, went on to do amazing, great things, not only on the football field but in the community, and to say that he had no care in the world, it irritated me. It made me feel sad for him.” It’s a heavy statement. He might have acknowledged that “Everyone else has their own opinions in the locker room,” but you can tell this one really got to him. When a player who dedicated two decades to a franchise seemingly checks out on the biggest stage, especially against *us*, that stings.
Vrabel’s Pragmatic Take and the Kubiak Connection
While Spillane wrestled with those emotions, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel took a more pragmatic view of Brady’s controversial remark. Vrabel apparently understood that Brady had simply moved on and was with the Raiders now. He even went a step further, saying he understood if Brady “did indeed collaborate with the Seahawks before the game.” Why? Because Brady’s team, the Raiders, was apparently about to hire Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as its head coach. The idea was that “it was better for the Raiders if Kubiak arrived with a bra” , though the full context of that last part is cut off, the implication is clear about strategic moves behind the scenes. It highlights how much can be going on that fans, and even players, don’t always see.
It’s wild to think that years after that epic Super Bowl showdown, the comments and the loyalty still spark debate. These are the moments that truly define careers and legacies. What does it say about loyalty in the NFL when a franchise legend’s words cause such a deep reaction years later? These are the questions that keep us talking, even when the regular season is in full swing and every game matters. You gotta wonder if those old wounds ever truly heal.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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