Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s TB12 business reportedly received at least $350,000 in a PPP loan amid the coronavirus crisis.
The coronavirus pandemic has already impacted Tom Brady and his football life, as he’s flying in the face of NFL safety protocols to hold private practices with his Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates. Now, however, it appears that COVID-19 has affected Brady the businessman, back to his old Patriots days.
According to reports, the TB12 brand received between $350,000 and $1 million from the Paycheck Protection Program, and we seriously never thought it would come to this.
.@TomBrady's @TB12sports applied for a PPP loan worth $350k-$1MM.
— Steve Robinson (@BigSteve207) July 6, 2020
TB12, Inc. did not report how many jobs were retained, but I'm guessing they kept the guy who ships out Tom's immunity vitamins, a.k.a. "anti-COVID" snake oil. https://t.co/PbcxQrQuR7 pic.twitter.com/MdoMcsvl7q
The government’s PPP has provided financial aid to small business and organizations struggling to get by amid the pandemic since March, when the country was ordered to shut down to help curb the spread of the virus. To think that Brady and his representatives went out of their way to apply for a loan is a pretty terrible look when you consider where he stands financially.
We understand that the former New England Patriots quarterback is passionate about the TB12 brand, and it’s unclear how much the coronavirus has impacted it, but surely he could take money out of his own wallet to help it see out the current financial crisis, right? That doesn’t sound like a tall ask for somebody that’s worth close to $200 million. The reported particulars of this loan, $350,000-$1 million, is most definitely pocket change for a superstar of Brady’s stature.
Tom Brady's TB12 business reportedly received at least $350k in federal PPP money https://t.co/yaLwZWgNAO pic.twitter.com/whI1mqWUps
— WEEI (@WEEI) July 6, 2020
The four-time MVP inked a two-year contract worth $50 million with the Buccaneers this offseason. His $9 million signing bonus alone would’ve been enough to cover the expenses of his loan, and then some.
We’re sure Brady has a logical explanation for doing so, but asking for government money that could’ve been doled out to other smaller businesses that aren’t run by multi-billion dollar athletes is a pretty awful look for the six-time Super Bowl champ.