Why was Tom Brady booed at the Indy 500?

The eyes of the motor sports world will be trained on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Sunday for the 109th edition of the Indy 500.

The iconic 500-mile race is one of the most illustrious in the world and is often described as ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing‘. It draws crowds of celebrities every year and this year’s race brought NFL star Tom Brady to take part in a special initiative.

Brady was seated in ’The Fastest Seat in Sports' ahead of the 2025 event but received a pretty hostile reception when introduced to the crowd. The 47-year-old took the boos in good spirits as Indianapolis’ sports fans took aim at a former foe.

Tom Brady’s New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts had a real feud during the 2000s, when both franchises were battling for championships. With Brady at the Patriots and Peyton Manning at the Colts they met 12 times from 2001-2010, with three postseason meetings in that time.

It was an era of the NFL dominated by the Patriots but the Colts still managed to land a few blows in their encounters. In 2006 the Colts downed the Patriots in the AFC Championship game and went on to beat the Chicago Bears to clinch Super Bowl XLI.

Later on the rivalry was intensified by the ‘Deflategate’ allegations, which centered around the Patriots’ victory over the Colts in the 2014 AFC Championship game. Brady was initially handed a four-game suspension for alleged knowledge of the scheme but he won an appeal, allowing him to play in the remainder of that season and lead New England to another Super Bowl win.

Brady may have left the Patriots long ago and retired from the game entirely, but still the memories of those iconic Patriots-Colts rivalries remain in Indianapolis.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment.Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.