Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady are two of the biggest names in entertainment and sports. One is the king of late-night TV, the other is the GOAT of the NFL. When Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady get together on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, magic and hilarious moments happen.
If you searched for Jimmy Kimmel Tom Brady interview, Tom Brady Mean Tweets Jimmy Kimmel, Tom Brady throws football at Matt Damon, or Jimmy Kimmel Tom Brady friendship, this complete 2026 guide covers their best moments, viral clips, and real relationship.
Who Are Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady?
Jimmy Kimmel is the long-time host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC, which has been airing since 2003. He is famous for his viral segments like Mean Tweets, Lie Witness News, and his fake feud with Matt Damon. He has hosted the Academy Awards multiple times and is one of the most influential comedians in America.
Tom Brady is the former NFL quarterback widely considered the Greatest of All Time (GOAT). He played 20 seasons for the New England Patriots and 3 seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning 7 Super Bowl championships, 5 Super Bowl MVPs, and 3 NFL MVPs. He retired in 2023 and is now a Fox Sports broadcaster and entrepreneur.
On paper, they are from different worlds, but their friendship on late-night TV has become legendary.
Most Iconic Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady Moments Ranked
Over the years, Tom Brady has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! more than 10 times. Here are the most iconic moments that went viral:
1. The Salary Interview (2019): During a sit-down interview, Tom Brady provided a thoughtful explanation on why, despite his six Super Bowl championships at the time, he was only the 18th-highest paid quarterback in the NFL, with an average annual value of $15 million. He told Kimmel that winning was more important than being the highest paid.
2. The Offseason Training Joke: Jimmy Kimmel once asked him, “You do know it’s the offseason, right? You’re aware? This is vacation time?” while Brady was training at UCLA. Brady replied, “I feel like I always want to be ready to go,” showing his legendary work ethic.
3. The Unretirement Roast: When Tom Brady announced his return to the league after a short retirement and re-joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jimmy Kimmel had a hilarious take on the “real” reason the quarterback came out of retirement, joking about his family life and love for football.
These interviews showed a different side of Brady – not just the perfect quarterback, but a funny, self-aware guy who can take a joke.
Tom Brady Reads Mean Tweets on Jimmy Kimmel Live
The most viral Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady moment is definitely Mean Tweets.
Jimmy Kimmel’s Mean Tweets is his most famous segment where celebrities read hateful tweets about themselves. Because Tom Brady gets so much hate for being so good, Jimmy Kimmel gave him his own solo Mean Tweets segment before Super Bowl 55 in 2021.
In the video provided by the NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady reads tweets like “Tom Brady looks like a thumb” and “I hate Tom Brady more than my ex.” Brady laughed it off and read them in his serious quarterback voice.
The segment was posted by Bleacher Report and got over 20 million views in 24 hours. It humanized Brady and showed he can laugh at himself. The Mean Tweets NFL Edition also featured Patrick Mahomes and other football superstars, but Brady’s solo edition remains the most watched.
Tom Brady, Matt Damon and Jimmy Kimmel’s Fake Feud
The funniest chapter in the Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady history involves Matt Damon.
For over 20 years, Jimmy Kimmel has had a running fake feud with actor Matt Damon, where he ends every show with “Apologies to Matt Damon, we ran out of time.”
In May 2019, while Tom Brady was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel decided to use Brady’s famous arm to escalate the feud. In a pre-taped sketch, Brady and Kimmel went outside to Matt Damon’s house and Brady threw a perfect spiral football right through Damon’s window, smashing it.
The clip, titled “Tom Brady Throws Football Through Matt Damon’s Window on Jimmy Kimmel Live”, went insanely viral. Brady, who is a huge Boston fan favorite and knows Damon is also a Boston legend, jokingly called Damon “Pat” in the interview portion.
Later, Kimmel joked that Matt Damon is “holed up in a bathroom with a picture of Tom Brady” after his Deflategate suspension was overturned, celebrating with Patriots fans. This three-way comedy feud between Kimmel, Damon, and Brady is considered one of the best late-night TV running gags of the last decade.
What Jimmy Kimmel Really Thinks About Tom Brady’s Comeback and Retirement
Jimmy Kimmel has always been a vocal fan and roaster of Tom Brady.
When Brady retired and then unretired in 2022, Kimmel made it a major monologue topic. He joked that Brady’s wife Gisele Bündchen was not happy and that Brady loves football more than sleep. But behind the jokes, Kimmel has massive respect.
On his show, Kimmel has repeatedly called Brady the greatest quarterback of all time and praised his discipline, longevity, and ability to perform at age 45. Brady, in return, has said he loves coming on Kimmel’s show because “Jimmy makes it comfortable and fun, not just about football.”
Their interviews are different from other sports interviews because Kimmel doesn’t just ask about touchdowns – he asks about being a dad, being hated, and being rich.
Friendship, Net Worth and Life in 2026
In 2026, both are in new chapters of life:
Jimmy Kimmel Net Worth 2026: Estimated at $50 million, with an annual salary of $15 million from ABC. He continues to host Jimmy Kimmel Live! and is one of the most powerful producers in late-night.
Tom Brady Net Worth 2026: Estimated at over $300 million, with his Fox Sports 10-year $375 million broadcasting deal, his TB12 brand, and Autograph NFT company. After his divorce from Gisele, he has focused on fatherhood and business.
Are they real-life friends? Yes. Tom Brady has been spotted having dinner with Kimmel in Los Angeles, and Kimmel attended Brady’s final regular season game with the Buccaneers. They text each other, especially during Super Bowl week. Their friendship is built on mutual respect – Kimmel respects Brady’s GOAT work ethic, and Brady respects Kimmel’s ability to make everyone laugh.
In 2026, Brady is now a successful broadcaster and Kimmel still rules late-night, and they still mention each other on their respective platforms.
Why Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady’s Chemistry Works So Well
Why do clips of Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady always go viral when other athlete interviews flop?
1. Contrast: Kimmel is the average guy who jokes about being lazy. Brady is the hyper-disciplined athlete who never takes a day off. The contrast is funny.
2. Self-Deprecating Humor: Brady is willing to read mean tweets about himself and smash a window for a joke. He doesn’t act like a protected superstar.
3. Boston Connection: Both have deep Boston ties. Kimmel’s feud with Matt Damon, a Boston icon, and Brady’s history as a Patriots legend, creates instant comedy.
4. Authenticity: Their interviews feel like two friends talking, not a PR interview.
Final Verdict: The saga of Jimmy Kimmel and Tom Brady is one of the best examples of sports meeting late-night comedy. From Mean Tweets to throwing footballs through windows to honest talks about salary and retirement, they have given us some of the funniest and most human moments of the last 10 years.
If you haven’t watched their best moments, search “Tom Brady Jimmy Kimmel Live full interview” on YouTube tonight – especially the Mean Tweets Super Bowl edition and the Matt Damon window smash. You will see why the GOAT of football and the king of late-night make the perfect team.
