If you asked any NFL player which stadium is the toughest place to play at, almost all of them would make some mention of Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Tom Brady is among that group. Ahead of calling Sunday’s Super Bowl rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and Chiefs in Kansas City (4:25 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app), Brady called Arrowhead among the toughest stadiums to play at. In his first edition of “Story Time with Tom,” Brady also recalled his first game at the home of the Chiefs.
Tom Brady Story Time: Most Intimidating NFL Stadiums, Richard Sherman’s U Mad Bro game
Tom Brady sits down to reveal the most intimidating stadiums in the NFL. He also revisits the 2012 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks and recalls the infamous “U Mad, Bro?” moment with Richard Sherman.
“My first game in Arrowhead was in 2004, ‘Monday Night Football,’ Patriots vs. Chiefs. Arrowhead was rocking that night,” Brady said on the first edition of “Story Time With Tom,” which will take place weekly during the 2025 NFL regular season.
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“I think Trent Green was the quarterback, Tony Gonzalez at tight end. Our defense went in and actually did the job. It’s a tough offense to stop. I remember Deion Branch was coming off a torn MCL and in his first game back. He looked like he didn’t miss a beat. I think he went for over 100 (receiving yards).”
“All in all, a great night and knowing that was one of the toughest places to play against one of the great organizations. It meant a lot.”
Brady’s memory served him well, but his stat line doesn’t suggest that he had the problems he felt he might have had that night. He threw for 315 yards in the 27-19 victory, helping the Patriots convert 8 of 12 third-down attempts.
While Brady’s first trip to Arrowhead went smoothly, his next two trips didn’t go as well. He lost both, highlighted by the 2014 loss arguably being one of the worst games of his career, throwing two interceptions in the game that served as the prelude to the “We’re on to Cincinnati game.”
Tom Brady during his first trip to face the Chiefs at Arrowhead back in 2004, which was a victorious visit for the Patriots. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
But Brady’s final trip to Arrowhead was one for the ages. He out-dueled Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to help the Patriots win the 2018 AFC Championship Game. That win seems suddenly even more impressive as Kansas City has gone 42-10 at home over the last five seasons (including playoffs).
That wasn’t the only stadium that Brady felt was a tough road environment over his 23-year career, though. One of the stadiums of his top rivals was also among his toughest places to play.
“The RCA Dome, that place was crazy to play,” Brady said. “Indianapolis Colts — obviously had a great offense. So, whenever the offense did something good, the crowd went crazy. The fans were like right behind you on the bench. When you sit there on the bench, you would hear them screaming right from behind you. It was so loud. When they pumped the crowd noise in, it made it even louder, because you couldn’t hear anything. That was the biggest challenge.”
Tom Brady is chased by Robert Mathis during the AFC Championship Game at the RCA Dome in January 2007. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Brady won all three of his regular-season road matchups at the RCA Dome, which closed at the end of the 2007 season. However, he lost the lone playoff game he played there. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts overcame a 21-3 deficit to take down Brady and the Patriots, 38-34, in the 2006 AFC Championship Game. Brady actually had a chance to lead the Patriots to victory in the final minute, but he threw the game-sealing interception with 24 seconds remaining.
In terms of more modern stadiums, Brady pointed to Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, as the toughest to play at among that group.
“That place was crazy loud. 2012, we went there and, of course, it’s Seattle, it was misty rain,” Brady said. “It was Russell Wilson’s first year as the starting quarterback. They had the Legion of Boom, a young Richard Sherman and I think I threw two interceptions that day.”
Brady threw two interceptions in the Patriots’ 24-23 loss to the Seahawks, which wound up being the only game he ever played in at the stadium. But that game more memorable for what happened seconds after the final horn.
“That was the ‘U mad bro?’ game,” Brady said. “Sherm, what was up with that? I wasn’t even talking any smack to you. You came up to me after the game. You were talking smack the whole game. I barely remember that game.”
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