How Did Tom Brady Learn To Say ‘Meatball Sub,’ And How Many Such Passes Did He Throw?

When Justin Herbert threw a costly interception in the Los Angeles Chargers’ loss to the Buffalo Bills last week, Tom Brady was more than blunt when he assessed the quarterback’s errant throw. 

“There’s a safety in the middle of the field. Poor awareness, poor decision, throws him a meatball sub,” Brady said of Herbert’s throw, which landed right in the arms of Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. 

Brady’s quote quickly went viral. FOX Sports’ video of the quote generated over 300,000 likes on Instagram, while a handful of posts on X about Brady’s comment garnered several thousand likes and views. 

But how did Brady learn about the term that’s become popular on social media for whenever a quarterback throws a bad pass? In the latest edition of #AskTom, Brady let everyone know that his kids have helped keep him hip to popular social media vernacular. 

“Chill, chill. Relax. Everyone’s got to remember, I’ve got three kids, OK? So, that should just point you in the right direction,” Brady said when asked who told him to say “meatball sub.”

Brady’s “meatball sub” remark was the second straight week that he said something on a broadcast that quickly made the rounds on social media. A week earlier, he called one of Dak Prescott’s passes a “piss missile” in the Dallas Cowboys’ victory over the Washington Commanders. 

Brady apologized for the “piss missile” comment in last week’s edition of #AskTom. But he isn’t apologizing for his “meatball sub” quote, although he admitted that some of his passes were meatball subs.

“I threw a lot. I probably threw over 200 interceptions in my career. I would say somewhere between 25 and 50 [were meatball subs],” Brady said. “And, believe me, Coach [Bill] Belichick, he never let me forget those.” 

That led Brady to express his appreciation for the coaching he got from Belichick over his career as he touched on that topic and more in this week’s #AskTom. Here’s what Brady had to say about Case Keenum’s surprising performance, Sean Payton’s gutsy calls in the Broncos’ win over the Rams and how cleats can make a difference in a quarterback’s throw. 

Case Keenum is 38, third on the depth chart and hasn’t started since 2023, but he helped the Bears beat the Eagles on Monday night. What does a week like this look like for a veteran thrust into the spotlight?

Brady: Well, there’s definitely some nerves and anxiety as you prepare for the week. It’s been a long time since you’ve been the starter. It’s been a long time since the team really needed you to step up and play well. 

But, look, when you’re a veteran quarterback and you’ve got a lot of years of experience, as that ball’s kicked off and you run your first play, you settle in very quickly. There’s a lot of experience you can rely on and he’s really well-coached. I love this Ben Johnson offense. There were a lot of great throws out there and he made a lot of great decisions. 

That’s what it takes. That’s why you’re the backup. That’s why you pay ya to deliver for your team. 

Sean Payton went for it twice in the third quarter to tie the game in the Broncos’ win over the Rams. How much of that is a coach’s decision vs. the QB potentially going and fighting for the chance to win there?

Brady: In the end, it’s all about the head coach’s decision. What I think a lot of people need to understand is that the head coach needs to be accountable for every decision — offensively, defensively or special teams. It all comes down to one guy: the head coach making the decisions. He’s the one responsible in those big moments to make the call and put his team in the best position to win. 

Who told you to say meatball sub? Also, can I get an exact number of meatball subs that you threw during your career?

Brady: Chill, chill. Relax. Everyone’s got to remember, I