BOSTON — It’s settled: Tom Seaver is “Tom Terrific,” not Tom Brady.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected Brady’s application to take control of the nickname on Thursday, ruling that it “points uniquely and unmistakably to Tom Seaver.”
It adds that giving Brady a trademark for “Tom Terrific” might lead people to conclude the Hall of Fame pitcher endorses any products, rather than the New England Patriots quarterback.
Brady has said he doesn’t even like the nickname and was just trying to trademark it to keep others from using it without his permission. But Seaver fans accused Brady of trying to appropriate their hero’s identity.
Brady will have to make do with the nicknames TB12 and, of course, G.O.A.T. — or “Greatest of All Time.”
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.