Jets fans on Patriots quarterback: Just call him 'Tom Shady'
— -- If you can't beat 'em, mock 'em.
An anonymous group of New York Jets fans, delighting in Tom Brady's four-game suspension for his role in Deflategate, took a not-so-subtle shot at the Patriots' quarterback by purchasing space on 12 electronic billboards in northern New Jersey.
The big green message reads:
#TomShady
It's accompanied by the famous team cheer:
J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets!
The billboards appear along highways and toll plazas within a few miles of MetLife Stadium.
The Jets haven't made any public statements regarding the New England Patriots' sanctions, but they're obviously enjoying the moment.
On Monday night, Suzanne Johnson, the wife of Jets owner Woody Johnson, tweeted the Brady news. Her tweet included a happy face emoji. The tweet was quickly deleted.
The fan base likes to express itself on billboards. In the fall, a disgruntled group of fans raised money and bought a "Fire John Idzik" billboard near the stadium, referring to the then-general manager.
Fans also took to the skies last season, renting a banner-toting plane that twice flew over a Jets practice. That, too, bore a "Fire Idzik" message.
The embattled general manager eventually was fired.
With Brady, the fans stayed grounded, using just the billboards to poke their longtime nemesis.
A spokesperson for Outfront Media declined to reveal the cost of the billboards or the identities of the fans.
"Jets fans are very passionate, and this particular group wanted to express the opinion not just held by them, but by most football fans who are reacting to the news of Brady's involvement in DeflateGate and subsequent punishment," spokesperson Carly Zipp said.
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