New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady received unexpected backlash on social media after posting a video of him jumping off a cliff and into a tropical swimming hole with his young daughter Vivi.
The footage shows the six-time Super Bowl champion holding the arm of his six-year-old daughter as they stand at a precipice in Costa Rica. As the two are about to jump off the edge, the girl looks momentarily hesitant. The two soon leap off the edge, making a splash in the blue-green water.
Brady did not want to dive in alone … Good ole Tom ????
(via @TomBrady) pic.twitter.com/ujqkoUrIc1
— ESPN (@espn) July 19, 2019
Brady playfully poked fun at his daughter’s diving skills in his video, which was posted on Twitter and Instagram, writing, “If Vivi is going to be an Olympic champion one day, it probably won’t be synchronized diving.” He added, “Daddy always gives her a 10, though.”
One cheerful Instagram user wrote in a comment that the video was “so cute!”
Concerns and Criticisms
Not everyone thought the video was cute, however. Some social media users criticized the professional athlete, saying the jump was dangerously close to the cliffside and rocks below. Although the clip does show Brady and his daughter landing safely in the water, not everyone was happy.
“Anything for a selfie … This irresponsible act follows Brady’s dimwitted wife posting pics of their children riding horses without helmets. Tom Brady DRAGS daughter off dangerous cliff after she hesitates before jump,” one woman exclaimed on Twitter. She ended her tweet by slamming the quarterback with the “#DumbJock” hashtag.
The proximity of the cliff seemed to be a significant concern for some social media users.
“Bruh she lucky she didn’t hit rock,” one person wrote.
Others took their accusations further, criticizing Brady for putting his child’s safety at risk.
“Bad parenting? His daughter almost broke her arm. NFL should consider punishment,” one Twitter user wrote, while others described it as “child abuse.”
Nevertheless, many people also came to Super Bowl champion’s defense.
“Relax people. She was fine. And is fine. I can remember stuff like that back in the ’60s. Neg reactions are off spring of PC BS,” one user wrote.
Another chimed in, saying Brady was “Trying to pull her away from the rocks obviously.”
“Thank goodness he had his daughters arm… she hesitated there,” added another person.
Even a self-proclaimed critic of the Patriots star stated, “I Don’t like Tom Brady, but he should be praised not bashed for pulling his daughter out away from the rocks. She wanted to jump off he wasn’t forcing her to. But she hesitated.”
Hints at Retirement
Earlier this month, Brady posted a vague quote from a rap song: “Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first!” The post triggered panic in some fans, who interpreted the lyrics as a hint that Brady could be retiring soon. The post included photos of him during football training.
“Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first!” pic.twitter.com/q4KUz24QtA
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 4, 2019
Brady has played 19 seasons with the Patriots so far, after being drafted by New England in 2000. The star athlete will turn 42 next month.
Brady led the Patriots to claim their 6th championship during the 2018-19 season. He stands as the oldest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl and has now surpassed Peyton Manning, who was 39 when he won Super Bowl 50.
In the comments, some fans expressed that the possibility of his retirement was stressful.
“WHATCHU MEAN, LAST???” one person wrote.
Another said, “Please don’t use words like ‘last’ when referring to your career, thanks.”
“You’re making me lose sleep,” another person wrote.
