SANTA CLARA, Calif. — You can always count on the NFL to pull the heartstrings right before the chaos starts. With just 48 hours until Super Bowl LX Opening Night kicks off at the San Jose Convention Center, the league dropped a reminder of exactly why we watch this sport.
It wasn’t a highlight reel of a touchdown pass. It was Tom Brady, the minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and future Hall of Famer, fighting back tears.
The NFL’s official account posted the now-legendary clip on Saturday morning with the caption, “The hero behind the legend.” In the video, a young reporter asks Brady who his hero is. The answer—”My dad”—and the raw emotion that followed has instantly re-ignited the internet.
The Clip That Stopped the Scroll
For those new to the lore, this isn’t a live interview from 2026—it’s a flashback to the 2017 Opening Night in Houston. But seeing it today, on the brink of Super Bowl 60, hits different.
Brady isn’t prepping to play the Seattle Seahawks or the New England Patriots this Sunday. He’s sitting in the owner’s box. Yet, the clip serves as the perfect tone-setter for Monday night. The Super Bowl isn’t just about the X’s and O’s between coaches Mike Macdonald and Mike Vrabel; it’s about the humans under the helmets.
The video has already racked up millions of views in hours. It’s a masterclass in timing. With the Patriots back in the Super Bowl—their first appearance in the post-Belichick era—seeing the franchise icon emotional about his father bridges the gap between the dynasty of old and the new blood led by Vrabel.
Opening Night Preview: What to Expect Monday
While Brady’s clip is winning the morning, the real show starts Monday at 8 p.m. ET. The Seahawks (14-3) and the Patriots (14-3) will descend on San Jose for the first official media frenzy of the week.
Here is what you need to watch for:
- The Vrabel Factor: Mike Vrabel has done the impossible—returning New England to the big game without Brady or Belichick. Expect the media to grill him on stepping out of the “Shadow of the Hoodie,” especially after this week’s Hall of Fame voting controversy.
- Seahawks’ Swagger: The Seahawks are 4.5-point favorites for a reason. Their defense has been suffocating. Will they take the bait and talk trash, or keep it professional?
- The Atmosphere: Levi’s Stadium is ready, but the Convention Center will be the first test. If you are in the Bay Area, get there early. The energy is already electric.
“You see a guy like Tom [Brady] break down like that, and it reminds you that under the armor, we’re all just sons trying to make our old man proud. That’s the energy we’re carrying into Monday.” — Anonymous Patriots Veteran, Saturday Presser
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
This week is a marathon, not a sprint. Monday night is just the hype machine revving up. The real tactical battles—how Seattle plans to contain the Patriots’ run game, and if New England can crack Macdonald’s defensive schemes—will start to leak out in practice reports by Wednesday.
For now, take a page out of Brady’s book. Call your dad. Hug your family. Then get ready, because Super Bowl LX is officially here.
