Dave Portnoy backs Tom Brady and Alix Earle’s handsy New Year’s Eve display after criticism of 23-year age gap

Dave Portnoy has backed Tom Brady after the legendary NFL quarterback was seen getting close to influencer Alix Earle at a New Year’s Eve yacht party in St. Barts.

Brady, 48, was filmed with the newly-single Earle, 25, throughout the night at the luxury Caribbean island. Earle has only just split with Houston Texans wide receiver Braxton Berrios, who was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2018 when Brady was the star quarterback.

The footage inevitably went viral across social media with plenty of observers knocking Brady for mingling with someone so much younger than him. But Barstool Sports founder and Patriots fan Portnoy, also 48 and himself dating a woman in her 20s, supported Brady.

‘I’m seeing lot of negative Nancy’s commenting on the 23 year age gap between Brady and Alix Earle. Unbiased I say let them live! Age is just a number. And if you could pull Alix Earle at almost 50 you would,’ he wrote, ironically adding a hashtag of ‘love laugh live’.

He later added on X, while watching Ole Miss beat Georgia in a gripping Sugar Bowl game Thursday night: ‘I don’t know how Brady manages to stay out clubbing in St Barths at our age. This game is on fire and I’m battling to stay awake.’

Portnoy, who has an estimated net worth of up to $250million, is dating Camryn D’Aloia, who is 22 years younger than him. They were recently pictured together at the Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua fight in Miami on December 20. Before D’Aloia, Portnoy was with model Silvana Mojica, who is 30.

The footage of Brady partying comes weeks after his supermodel ex-wife Gisele Bundchen got married  to her partner, Joaquim Valente. They welcomed a child together earlier in 2025.

Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl winner, has been linked with an array of women since his divorce from Bundchen was confirmed in October 2022, ranging from Sofia Vergara to Sydney Sweeney. But the video of him with Earle, where the pair appeared to be getting handsy as they welcomed in 2026 together, is as close as he has been seen with someone since his marriage ended.

A separate clip showed Earle glancing over her shoulder and looking him up and down as they get their groove on at the yacht party, while a third captures Brady appearing to place his hand around her lower waist.

According to Page Six, an insider claimed that Earle and Brady broke off together and headed to a private cabin to talk at one stage of the evening.

‘They were at a yacht party and met, and broke off from the larger group, talking for a lot of the night,’ the source is quoted as saying.

Earle recently announced her split from Houston Texans wide receiver Berrios, not long after celebrating their two-year anniversary together.

Berrios posted a picture of him with a bouquet of roses, which were sent by Earle, on November 11 to celebrate the milestone. But, just 25 days later, the couple parted ways. 

Earle, who recently finished second on Dancing With The Stars, shared a tearful Instagram video on December 13 to confirm their breakup.

She cried as she described Berrios as her ‘best friend’ and said that their long-distance relationship due to their respective commitments had seen them drift apart.

‘I just feel like I can’t be what Braxton needs,’ Earle said. ‘I love Braxton, he is my best friend and it has been really difficult as we try and go forward with this. We’re on good terms and I don’t want anyone to come for him or be mean to him.’

Neither Brady or Earle have responded to the video of them together but have been posting on social media as normal since it surfaced.

This Sunday, Brady is expected to be in Chicago to call the Bears vs Detroit Lions for Fox in the final weekend of the NFL regular season. Brady is two years into a 10-year, $375million deal to call games with the broadcaster.

Berrios and the Texans end the regular season at home to the Indianapolis Colts and have qualified for the playoffs. They can win the AFC South by beating the Colts on Sunday.