“Let them live”: Dave Portnoy defends Tom Brady after NFL legend's viral party video with Alix Earle party sparks age-gap controversy

Tom Brady may be retired, but he still knows how to dominate the internet. A short New Year’s Eve video from St. Barts was all it took to pull the seven-time Super Bowl champion back into the spotlight. The clip showed Brady enjoying a party alongside social media star Alix Earle, and within hours, fans were debating everything from body language to age gaps.For many NFL fans, Brady remains must-watch even without a helmet on. Every public appearance sparks conversation, and this one quickly crossed over from sports chatter into pop culture territory. As opinions piled up online, one familiar voice decided to jump in and say exactly what he thought.Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, reposted the viral TMZ clip and pushed back against critics who focused on the rumored age gap between Brady and Earle. “Im seeing lot of negative Nancy’s commenting on the 23 year age gap between Brady and Alix Earle," Portnoy tweeted, adding "Unbiased I say let them live! Age is just a number. And if you could pull Alix Earle at almost 50 you would (sic)." He added the hashtag “Laugh Love Live 2026.”The video itself showed Tom Brady and Alix Earle celebrating together in St. Barts. Earle was seen leaning over to whisper something in Brady’s ear while rubbing his back, before Brady placed his hand around her waist. Nothing was said, but that did not stop the clip from spreading fast.Not long after, Earle shared an Instagram carousel wearing the same dark plum gown seen in the video, which only added to the speculation. The timing stood out because she had recently confirmed a breakup.On Dec. 14, Earle revealed that she and Braxton Berrios were no longer together after dating since 2023. “It’s just been really hard to process in general, and I think why I’ve been scared to say something is because I feel like it just makes it more real,” Earle said. “Braxton and I are no longer together. We have been doing long distance since basically June and we haven't gotten to see each other that often.”Brady has been single since his divorce from Gisele Bündchen was finalized on Oct. 28, 2022. The former couple were married for 13 years and share two children, Benjamin and Vivian. After the split, Brady was briefly linked to Irina Shayk in mid-2023. Bündchen later moved on with Joaquim Valente, whom she married in December 2025.As the noise grew louder, Brady stayed calm. He posted two relaxed Instagram Stories, one showing his backyard and another featuring his dog sitting on a golf cart. “Secret service on Duty 🐶," Brady captioned the second IG Story.For now, that is all Brady has said. Also read: Alix Earle’s ‘good vibes’ led her to Tom Brady? New Year’s Eve clip aged fast after St. Barts videos