Most Montreal sports fans are aware that legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady was actually selected by the Expos in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB Draft.
Unfortunately for the franchise, Brady opted for football instead, pursuing an NFL career that saw him win seven Super Bowl championships. As a result, Montrealers were left wondering what could have been.
In a new commercial for trading card company Topps, Brady explores that idea, reimagining his life as an MLB legend.
The ad begins with shots of Brady’s Brasserie, a fictional Montreal bar filled with newspaper clippings of the one-time hitting catcher’s imaginary accolades.
Meanwhile, a French-speaking local orders “two poutines with extra Tommy,” highlighting his importance in the Quebec community.
“I caught a lot of Expos fastballs,” Brady says, playing a retired baseball player doing a car dealership commercial. “But now, here’s my pitch to you. Come on down to Brady Auto, and catch some major-league savings.”
The camera then cuts to a box of cereal called “Frosted Exp-O’s” featuring the California native in a catcher’s uniform on the cover.
It was all a dream… right?! @Topps @MLB @michaelrubin pic.twitter.com/iYoj3gCmUX
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) December 12, 2023
The narrative doesn’t shy away from imagining the 46-year-old’s successes on the baseball diamond, which in this universe, mirror his NFL stats (23 seasons, seven championships).
On top of that, the 80-second clip suggests that, had Brady chosen baseball, the Expos might have avoided their fate of relocating to become the Washington Nationals. One bar patron claims that “without him, they would’ve moved us out of Montreal.”
However, to add some realism, the commercial, which includes cameos from former Expos players Pedro Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and Larry Walker, doesn’t spare Brady from a bit of hypothetical heartache, citing his two World Series losses to the San Francisco Giants.
The playful ad concludes with Brady waking up from the strange dream and smiling upon spotting his Expos trading card next to an alarm clock that uncoincidentally reads 12:12.
On December 12 (12/12, in honour of Brady’s jersey number), Fanatics Collectibles launched a Topps 2023 Bowman Draft trading card set featuring Brady’s first-ever baseball card.
While the Topps commercial is sure to tickle Canadian sports fans, this is not the first time, the ex-NFLer has some fun with his connection to the Expos.
Back in October, while visiting New York’s MLB Store for a Topps trading card event, he wore an Expos jersey with his signature No. 12 on the front.
And on April Fools in 2021, he tweeted a photoshopped image of him standing at home plate at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. The almost believable photo was paired with a caption that would make headlines across the sports world if it were true.
“With opening day today, excited to announce we’re bringing the Expos back to the MLB in 2022,” read Brady’s X post.
With opening day today, excited to announce we’re bringing the Expos back to the MLB in 2022. Excited to be the first player/coach/owner in MLB history. pic.twitter.com/Sre5y5LUL2
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) April 1, 2021
While the jokes are pretty funny, Montreal’s baseball fan base, who has gone nearly two decades without an MLB team, are secretly hoping they lead to something real.
Until then, like Brady, they’ll keep dreaming.