Alan Shearer couldn’t resist teasing Tom Brady for skipping Birmingham City’s FA Cup match.
The NFL icon is a minority stakeholder in the Blues, who were competing in the most significant match of their season thus far against Newcastle United in the FA Cup.
Regrettably for Brady, Birmingham’s matchup against the Premier League team coincided with the Super Bowl weekend featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Speaking to the BBC, Shearer quipped: “I can’t fathom why Tom Brady picked the Super Bowl over the FA Cup.”
“Isn’t it somewhat impolite?”
Shearer’s remark was met with laughter, as Gary Lineker responded: “I understand.”
“On a lovely evening such as this as well.”
The Newcastle legend then remarked: “Particularly to witness one of the largest clubs globally,” to which fellow analyst Curtis Davies responded sarcastically: “Birmingham?”
Brady’s absence from the match at St Andrews is due to his profitable obligation to a major US broadcaster.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion is serving as a color analyst for Fox Sports.
The network spent an enormous $375 million to secure him for ten years, with the fight for the Vince Lombardi Trophy, predictably, the premier event on their schedule.
That being so, Brady was absent from an exceptional event at St Andrews.
Brady’s Birmingham City went ahead within a minute when Ethan Laird scored to put the Blues in front.
Newcastle subsequently netted a disputed equaliser when Joe Willock’s goal was considered to have crossed the line, even though Bailey Peacock-Farrell made what seemed to be an incredible save.
However, without goal-line technology, the goal remained valid.
Callum Wilson subsequently gave Newcastle the lead, but Tomoki Iwata equalized just before halftime.
Nonetheless, with the match appearing to be on the verge of extra-time, Willock scored once more to clinch a 3-2 victory for Newcastle and secure their place in the draw for the fifth round.
Although it was a night that didn’t unfold as expected for Birmingham, they are clearly focused on achieving promotion to the Championship this season
The Blues are presently four points ahead at the top of League One, having played two matches less than the teams below them in the standings.
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