Nov 22, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12), safety Steve Gregory (28), and defensive tackle Vincent Wilfork (75) reach for a piece of a turkey while standing with NBC sports commentator Michele Tafoya after the game against the New York Jets on Thanksgiving at Metlife Stadium. The Patriots won the game 49-19. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Patriots Legend Tom Brady Remembers Viral Turkey Chomp

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Ethan Hurwitz | Last updated Nov 27, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Tom Brady didn't always play on Thanksgiving with the New England Patriots, but when he did, some of those memories stuck out to him.

As part of his weekly "Story Time With Tom" series with FOX, the legendary quarterback sat down to discuss his favorite moments playing on the holiday, including a now-viral turkey bite after knocking off the New York Jets in 2012.

The Butt Fumble, Then Turkey

The Patriots — led by Brady, who threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns — went into MetLife Stadium and bullied the Jets into submission. The vast majority of people don't remember the final score (49-19), but some of the game's iconic moments are still engraved into today's digital lexicon. The Butt Fumble sticks out as the main subject point, but after the game, Brady joined his teammates in a turkey feast on the field.

"There was a great clip of me and Vince Wilfork (and Steve Gregory)," Brady said. "We played the Jets on a Thursday night and they gave me the turkey leg. So when they gave me the turkey leg, I'm looking at it and I can feel that it's kind of a cold turkey leg."

Brady then broke down how he went about trying the bite into the cold bird, giving it what he called a "chintzy little bite." He then juxtaposed how his massive defensive tackle ate the bird just to his left.

"Of course, Vince went all in like it was a chicken wing," Brady said. "Vince was like slipping that thing into his mouth and devouring it. I was a little apprehensive about what I was biting into."

Tom Brady Isn't New To Thanksgiving Football

The Patriots' win over New York in 2012 wasn't the only time Brady suited up for the team on Thanksgiving. His first-ever game action was against the Detroit Lions, where the eventual Hall of Famer threw the first passes of his NFL career.

On November 23, 2000, the Patriots went into Detroit for their afternoon game. After the Lions jumped out to a massive lead, head coach Bill Belichick turned to his rookie quarterback to finish out the game.

"My first passes were on Thanksgiving in Detroit," Brady said. "It was a different stadium. Three passes that day, (I) wasn't very productive. A pretty inauspicious start to my career."

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: