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Why did Tom Brady slap Logan Paul? Here's what happened during their heated Fanatics Fest 2026 confrontation
Karl-Anthony Towns stepped in to separate Tom Brady and Logan Paul, preventing their heated exchange from escalating into a physical fight.
Tom Brady and Logan Paul appeared to get into a heated confrontation during Fanatics Fest in New York, with the exchange escalating to the point where Brady slapped the YouTuber-turned-WWE star across the face.
NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns, who was standing between them, quickly intervened to prevent the situation from turning into a physical altercation.
Why did Tom Brady slap Logan Paul?
It remains unclear whether the moment was authentic or part of a staged segment, given Paul's WWE background, where scripted confrontations are common.
The clip does not show what led to the confrontation. However, Paul later claimed on X that the incident began after he jokingly mocked Brady about defeating him in a game of flag football.
“This happened bc I was roasting Tom for beating him in flag football. And he tries to smack me ?? Horrible example for the kids… Aura -100…. + Blocked. With a torn tricep,” Paul tweeted on X referring to the incident.
The exchange did not end at Fanatics Fest, as the back-and-forth continued on social media afterward.
After Paul commented on the incident, Brady responded by reposting his post on X. “I tried America… will try again next time I see this nerd,” he wrote.
Also read: Logan Paul slammed by One Piece fans after mocking their anger over his $550K manga buy
Brady also weighed in on the incident by reposting the viral video on X with a one-word response, “Dork.”
What happened at Fanatics Fest
The viral video on social media captures Brady and Paul facing off while Towns stands between them on Friday, July 17.
During the exchange, the seven-time Super Bowl champion reaches around Towns and delivers an open-handed slap to Paul. Towns immediately steps in, extending his arms to keep the pair apart as they continue exchanging words.
Brady-Paul rivalry explained
The rivalry between Brady and Paul dates back several months, beginning before they squared off in the 2026 Fanatics Flag Football Classic in March.
Their first public disagreement came during a Fanatics event in February, where Paul suggested that his experience in WWE made him just as athletic as NFL players.
The verbal sparring continued during the draft for the flag football tournament, with Brady mocking Paul after he referenced his high school football statistics to support his claim.
The back-and-forth didn't stop there, as Brady continued to poke fun at Paul while the two competed on opposite teams during the Fanatics flag football event.
