Tom Brady has done a lot in his career. Seven Super Bowls, three MVPs, and more than 23 seasons of NFL dominance. But at Fanatics Fest 2025, the GOAT took a different kind of trip, one that went straight down memory lane.
Tom Brady Reacts to NFL Legends in Rookie-Era Card Pull
In a viral video posted by Topps on Friday (scroll down for the video), Brady opened a sealed pack of football cards from his rookie season. The nostalgia hit hard as he rifled through names from the past, offering off-the-cuff memories of players he used to watch or compete against. It wasn’t just a pack break; it was Brady revisiting the era that shaped him.
The atmosphere was lighthearted as Brady smiled and said, “Let’s see how many of these guys I actually remember.” His first pulls brought instant recognition. Rob Moore prompted the comment “great receiver, Cardinals.” Moore played 11 NFL seasons and was a two-time Pro Bowler who caught 628 passes for 9,368 yards.
Then came Johnnie Morton, another familiar face. Morton was a reliable receiver who spent most of his career with the Detroit Lions, finishing with 624 receptions for 8,719 yards over 12 seasons. Danny Wuerffel brought another memory: “great Florida quarterback.” The 1996 Heisman Trophy winner led the Gators to a national championship and remains one of the most decorated quarterbacks in college football history.
Tom Brady opens a pack of football cards from his rookie year…@tombrady @CardVaultTB pic.twitter.com/GOd6c7fDAa
— Topps (@Topps) June 20, 2025
Damon Dunn sparked another flash of recognition. Brady appeared to recall him as a receiver, though records show Dunn was actually a Stanford wide receiver who played briefly in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars from 1998 to 2001. The mix-up was understandable given the passage of time and the hundreds of players Brady encountered during his career.
Then came a surprise: “Bang! Urlacher, rookie.” Brady instantly recognized the card, pointing out that Brian Urlacher was a “freak of nature,” a college safety who also returned punts before anchoring the Bears’ defense in the NFL. Indeed, at the University of New Mexico, Urlacher played the “Lobo-Back” position, a hybrid safety-linebacker role, and averaged 15.8 yards per punt return as a senior while also catching six touchdown passes.
Brady wasn’t just reading names. He was reliving matchups, admiring careers, and celebrating football history, all through a few pieces of cardboard.
A Full-Circle Moment With Jerry Rice
Of course, the most emotional pull came when Brady flipped to a Jerry Rice card. “Gotta love me a Jerry Rice,” he said with a grin. “Wait a second, can we just pause? The GOAT pulls the GOAT.”
It was more than a soundbite. Rice was Brady’s childhood favorite, and seeing his card brought back memories of growing up a 49ers fan. “He’s the best receiver of all time,” Brady added, high praise from someone many consider the greatest ever.
The card break wasn’t the only highlight for Brady at Fanatics Fest. He went on to win the inaugural Fanatics Games, beating out UFC fighter Justin Gaethje, Eli Manning, and dozens of fans and celebrities to claim the top prize: $1 million. The three-day competition featured eight events testing various sports skills, with Brady finishing with 399.1 points to Gaethje’s second-place 345.4.
In classic Brady fashion, he gave $5,000 to each of the 50 fan participants and donated the rest to charity. The giving didn’t stop there.
Fan Matt Dennish, a 39-year-old Pennsylvania high school health teacher who finished third with 326 points, won a LeBron James rookie card valued at up to $250,000. Brady, an avid card collector who owns his own hobby stores, offered Dennish $250,000 in cash for the 2003-04 Topps Chrome Gold Refractor numbered to 50 and graded 9.5 by Beckett Grading Services.
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Dennish accepted the deal on stage, with comedian Kevin Hart helping broker the arrangement that also included a signed Brady card and jersey. “I didn’t know exactly what to do with a card of that value, so he made my job a little bit easier just taking it off my hands,” Dennish told reporters after the ceremony.
For a guy who’s won just about everything there is to win, Brady’s latest victory came not from a throw, but from a pull, one memory-packed card at a time. The event showcased Brady’s enduring love for the game and its history, even as he transitions into his new roles as Las Vegas Raiders part-owner and Fox Sports NFL broadcaster.