Tom Brady Tries and Fails to Trademark Mets Legend Tom Seaver's Nickname 'Tom Terrific'
Tom Brady might be able to win six Super Bowls, but this doesn’t mean he’s any more “terrific.”
The New England Patriots quarterback, 42, was shut down on Thursday by the United States Patent and Trademark Office after trying to trademark the term “Tom Terrific,” a name made famous by retired New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver, according to the New York Times.
Brady, who has been a superstar Patriots player for almost two decades, and his representatives explained they wanted to apply for the trademark so that no one else would be able to use the moniker already given to Seaver and Brady.
While Brady has said he doesn’t like the nickname, his decision was ultimately to protect himself and Seaver, the legendary pitcher that led the Mets to a World Series win in 1969, according to the Times.
“A situation arose, unfortunately, where we had to consider an immediate defensive and protective action,” Brady’s agent, Donald H. Yee, said on Friday. “There is no intention ever to impact Tom Seaver’s legacy.”
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However, the Trademark Office denied the application in saying it could “falsely suggest a connection” with the Mets pitcher, who was “uniquely and unmistakably” known as “Tom Terrific.”
“Tom Seaver is so well known that consumers would presume a connection,” the office added.
News of Brady’s defeat was a celebration for New Yorkers, who typically rival with Boston sports.
“I don’t buy the ‘I was protecting Seaver’ story,” longtime Mets fan, Mike Stuto, told the news outlet. “Seaver and his family can protect his legacy without Tom Brady’s help.”
“Has anyone ever even called him ‘Tom Terrific’? ” Matt Talansky, another Mets fan said, drawing on Brady’s association with the 2016 “Deflategate” scandal. “Was ‘Vainglorious Cheater’ already trademarked?”
Other New Yorkers told The Boston Globe, that Brady’s actions were “especially galling,” as Hall of Famer Seaver is currently suffering from dementia, his family announced in March.
