Shaquille O’Neal admits he worried about Tom Brady during Netflix roast as truth comes out one year later

Shaquille O’Neal is opening up about a moment that stayed with him after The Roast of Tom Brady. One year after the Netflix special aired, the NBA legend admitted he thought Tom Brady looked uncomfortable during the jokes. Shaquille O’Neal shared this during a fresh conversation with Brady on The Big Podcast With Shaq, released Wednesday. The two sports icons spoke honestly about humor, locker room culture, and how Brady really felt on that night.

Tom Brady, who retired from the NFL in February 2023, said the roast never bothered him. Instead, he explained why being teased by friends often feels like respect. Their exchange offered a new look at one of the most talked-about sports events of 2024.

Shaquille O’Neal and Tom Brady revisit Netflix roast moment one year later

Shaquille O’Neal asked Tom Brady directly how he felt while being roasted by teammates and comedians. The roast aired live on Netflix on May 5, 2024, at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.

It was titled The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady and ran for nearly three hours. “I think a lot of people I love being made fun of,” Tom Brady said.

“When they make fun of you, they’re comfortable with you. That’s how you know they’re really your friends.” Brady explained that joking around is normal in sports locker rooms.

He mentioned former New England Patriots teammates Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman as examples. “All you do is make fun of people,” Brady said. “That’s how it’s always been.”



Shaquille O’Neal then shared why he skipped doing a similar roast. “I thought you were uncomfortable,” O’Neal said.

“So I kind of said, maybe I shouldn’t do it.” After hearing Brady’s response, O’Neal joked, “Because you said you’re comfortable, Jeff Ross, holla at me.”

The roast featured Kevin Hart as host, with comedians Nikki Glaser, Andrew Schulz, Tom Segura, and others.

Former Patriots players and coach Bill Belichick also joined in. Brady fired back with his own jokes during the show.

Later in the podcast, Shaquille O’Neal asked Tom Brady if he could still play in the NFL. This came as the Las Vegas Raiders, where Brady became a minority owner in October 2024, struggled during the season.

“I’d whoop a** right now,” Brady said. “Give me a month, I could go play with anybody.” He added that he took great care of his body during his career.

Still, Brady made it clear that returning is not an option. NFL rules do not allow active players to own teams. Brady retired for good at age 45 after 23 seasons, seven Super Bowl titles, and a short return following his first retirement in 2022.

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