Tom Brady is trading in shoulder pads for a fire suit, at least for a few ceremonial laps.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion will participate in a high-speed pre-race tradition at the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, as he s Jimmie Johnson in "The Fastest Seat in Sports."
Brady will take his ride as a enger in a two-seater IndyCar, driven by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and former IndyCar competitor Jimmie Johnson, just before the green flag waves on May 26.
The ride is part of the festivities surrounding Fox Sports' first-ever broadcast of the Indy 500, marking the network's official start to a new partnership after securing broadcast rights to the full IndyCar Series beginning in 2025.
The moment mirrors one earlier this season, when Alex Rodriguez-Fox baseball analyst and MLB legend-rode along at the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Now, it's Brady's turn to experience the power and speed of an IndyCar up close.
Brady and Johnson share the spotlight ahead of motorsport's biggest day
Jimmie Johnson, no stranger to the Brickyard, will once again return to a place where he once competed as an IndyCar driver. After retiring from full-time NASCAR racing, Johnson shifted into open-wheel competition, starting 29 IndyCar races across the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
He even contested the 2022 edition of the Indy 500. Once he completes his ceremonial duties alongside Brady, Johnson will jet to Charlotte Motor Speedway to compete in the Coca-Cola 600, marking his 700th NASCAR Cup Series start.
"I love the Indy 500. There is an energy and excitement around the 500 that is unlike anything I have experienced before," said Johnson.
"Certainly, pre-race ceremonies are the ultimate racing experience that I've had outside of the car. I'm thrilled to be a part of the program and to see the stands full one more time.
"I'm extremely honored to come back and do it and to be able to also share this experience with another seven-time champion."
Brady's involvement adds another layer of intrigue to an already loaded pre-race schedule. The former New England Patriots quarterback, once a regular villain in Indianapolis due to the storied rivalry with the Colts, has recently embraced his new role as a media figure. He's already appeared in Fox's IndyCar promos, even joking about reigning Indy 500 champion Josef Newgarden, quipping "he's not that handsome" in response to a commercial praising Newgarden's jawline.
Brady is one of several former NFL greats appearing at the Speedway. Michael Strahan, Hall of Famer and New York Giants icon, will serve as the honorary pace car driver-a poetic twist, considering Strahan famously sacked Brady in the Giants' Super Bowl XLII upset that spoiled the Patriots' perfect season.
Brady's ride in "The Fastest Seat in Sports" is set to give fans a unique crossover moment between two American sporting giants-football and motorsport. And with Fox kicking off a new era of IndyCar coverage, expect this to be just the beginning of Brady's presence in racing's biggest spectacles.