Tom Brady to Wave the Green Flag at the Indy 500—NFL Legend’s Surprise Role Promises a Historic Race Day

NFL legend Tom Brady traded turf for tarmac at the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, riding shotgun with seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson in the ceremonial “Fastest Seat in Sports” two-seater that paces the 33-car IndyCar field to the green flag. The appearance delivered instant buzz—but also a chorus of boos. As Brady’s name was announced during driver introductions, large pockets of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway crowd made their displeasure known, a pointed reminder of the quarterback’s long-running rivalry with the hometown Colts during his New England Patriots days. Brady took the jeers in stride, smiling and waving before strapping into the modified Dallara, while Johnson—now an IndyCar regular—handled the steering duties. The lap hit more than 175 mph, kicking off race festivities that also featured fellow Fox Sports personality Michael Strahan piloting the pace car. Why Brady was at Indy • Fox Sports, which began a new broadcast deal with the Indy 500 this year, tapped its highest-profile NFL analyst to bridge racing and football audiences. • The network’s on-air team teased exclusive “helmet-cam” footage of Brady’s ride, content that is expected to air during halftime of Thursday Night Football preseason coverage to amplify cross-sport synergy. • Brady’s Indy visit doubles as brand promotion for his TB12 performance line, which supplied recovery products to several pit crews over the month of May. Fan reaction and social media spike Within minutes of the boos echoing across the grandstands, #TomBrady and #Indy500 shot to the top of X’s trending list. Colts fans relived infamous playoff clashes, while Patriots supporters fired back with seven-ring memes. The polarizing chatter only magnified Fox’s digital reach: the network reported a 42 percent jump in live-blog traffic compared with last year’s prerace window. Brady’s motorsport résumé is thin—he once toured Ferrari’s Fiorano track and attended the inaugural Miami Grand Prix—but Sunday’s lap marked his first on-track participation in an open-wheel machine. “I’ve faced deafening noise in hostile stadiums; this was louder and faster,” Brady quipped on pit road, adding that Johnson’s smooth hands “felt like getting the ball from a veteran center.” What it means for the Indy 500 The Speedway has leaned heavily on celebrity cachet to broaden its demographic reach. Last year, actor Brad Pitt flagged the start; this year, the Brady-Johnson combo delivered an NFL-meets-IndyCar crossover primed for streaming clips and highlight reels. With Brady’s brief cameo generating millions of impressions before the green flag even dropped, IMS officials appear to have found their formula: pair motorsport icons with A-list names who can stir passion—positive or negative—far beyond gasoline alley. Key takeaways for searchers • Tom Brady rode in the Indy 500 “Fastest Seat in Sports” two-seater. • He was loudly booed during driver introductions at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. • Jimmie Johnson drove the two-seater; Michael Strahan paced the field. • The stunt is part of Fox Sports’ first year broadcasting the 2025 Indianapolis 500. Love him or loathe him, Brady once again dominated the spotlight—this time at 230 mph instead of 25 yards—proving that even in retirement, the GOAT’s ability to command attention remains in overdrive.