Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady walks the runway during the Gucci Cruise 2027 collection fashion show in Times Square on May 16, 2026, in New York City.

Tom Brady’s latest appearance had NFL fans doing a double take.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion made a surprise runway appearance during Gucci’s Cruise 2027 fashion show in New York City this weekend, stepping onto a catwalk set up in the middle of Times Square wearing an all-black leather look.

Not long after the event, the NFL’s official Instagram account shared video of Brady walking the runway with the caption: “entering his model era.”

The comments quickly exploded.

While some fans praised Brady’s confidence and presence, many others joked that the former New England Patriots quarterback looked more like a movie villain than a fashion model.

One of the most-liked comments read: “Walking and looking like The Terminator.”

Another fan added: “This man has the terminator walk.”

Tom Brady Makes Surprise Gucci Runway Appearance

Brady was among several celebrities featured during Gucci’s high-profile Cruise 2027 showcase, which transformed parts of Times Square into an outdoor runway event.

The former NFL quarterback appeared wearing a black leather jacket and matching pants while walking through a crowd of photographers, influencers, celebrities, and fashion insiders.

According to multiple reports from the event, the show also featured appearances from stars including Cindy Crawford and Debbie Harry.

Brady’s appearance immediately drew attention online, partly because of the contrast between his football legacy and the high-fashion setting.

Even years after retiring from the NFL, Brady continues to generate enormous attention whenever he makes a public appearance — especially one this unexpected.

NFL Fans Had Plenty to Say About Brady’s Walk

As clips from the runway circulated online, social media users flooded the NFL’s Instagram comments section with reactions.

“Terminator walk with the blue steel look. Damn,” one fan wrote.

Another joked: “Bro has been a model, this is a side quest.”

Others compared Brady to characters from movies and pop culture.

“Is this Zoolander?” one commenter asked.

“He walking like the terminator,” another user wrote alongside laughing emojis.

Not every reaction was positive.

“The same Tom Brady that took a jab at Joe Burrow 2 months prior about attending a fashion show, now he’s walking the runway,” one fan pointed out.

Still, the overwhelming tone of the reactions was amusement and fascination as fans watched one of football’s greatest players fully embrace a very different stage.

Brady Continues Expanding His Post-NFL Brand

Since retiring “for good” after the 2022 season, Brady has steadily expanded his presence beyond football.

In addition to becoming FOX Sports’ lead NFL analyst, Brady has remained active in entertainment, business, fashion, and media circles.

His latest runway appearance added another unexpected chapter to that post-football evolution.

Brady was famously married to supermodel Gisele Bündchen for more than a decade, making his crossover into the fashion world feel less surprising to some fans online.

But even with that background, many viewers still seemed stunned seeing the former Patriots star confidently walking through Times Square in full runway mode.

And based on the internet’s reaction, NFL fans may never look at Tom Brady quite the same way again.