NFL legend Tom Brady has drawn heavy criticism after revealing he cloned his deceased dog through a biotechnology company.
Tom Brady Defends His Decision to Clone Beloved Pet
Tom Brady Defends His Decision to Clone Beloved Pet (Image Via Instagram/@tombrad)
The seven-time Super Bowl champion announced that his new puppy, Junie, is a genetic copy of his former pet Lua, who passed away in December 2023. His weird choice has created a heated debate among fans and some prominent animal lovers.
Tom Brady Defends His Decision to Clone Beloved Pet
On Tuesday, the former New England Patriots quarterback explained his reasoning behind this most unique decision. Brady partnered with Colossal Biosciences, a company he invested in, to preserve his connection with Lua through cloning technology.
“I love my animals. They mean the world to me and my family,” Brady told People magazine. “A few years ago, I worked with Colossal and leveraged their non-invasive cloning technology through a simple blood draw of our family’s elderly dog before she passed.”
Tom Brady reveals his dog Junie is a clone of his late pup Lua, who passed away in 2023:
“A few years ago, I worked with Colossal and leveraged their non-invasive cloning technology through a simple blood draw of our family’s elderly dog before she passed.” pic.twitter.com/JHC0AKlS1d
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) November 4, 2025
The process reportedly costs around $50,000, according toViagen, and required collecting blood samples from Lua before her death. Brady adopted the dog during his marriage to Gisele Bündchen.
When Lua passed away, his ex-wife Gisele Bündchen shared an emotional post on Instagram. She wrote about their family dog with deep sadness.
The postread, “Our little Lulu, our guardian angel is gone to heaven. She will forever live in our hearts. We already miss her sooooo much!” Bündchen used the hashtag unconditional love and added a broken heart emoji to express her grief.
The 48-year-old currently works as FOX Sports’ lead NFL analyst. He signed a 10-year deal worth $375 million. Brady also owns minority stakes in the Las Vegas Raiders.
Now, whatever Brady did is in no way a normal thing and quite sensitive for animal lovers. Maybe he already hit the ethical boundary, as critics started to point out that thousands of shelter dogs need homes.
They have a point in their argument since adopting a rescued animal is always a better choice than spending $50,000 on cloning technology.
Dave Portnoy Questions Brady’s Move
Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports and a devoted Patriots fan, didn’t hold back his opinion on X.
“I’m a dog guy and a Brady guy. This is weird as f—,” Portnoywrote.
I’m a dog guy and a Brady guy. This is weird as fuck https://t.co/inRclY6ktk
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) November 4, 2025
The same kind of reaction frequently appeared in comments across different platforms. Many called the decision unnatural and disturbing. You could barely find a handful of folks who defend the NFL GOAT, as this is a biotech evolution.
Happy to help and excited to continue applying this science to conservation 🧬
— Colossal Biosciences® (@colossal) November 4, 2025
Colossal Biosciences responded to the harsh criticism on X. The companywrote, “Happy to help and excited to continue applying this science to conservation.”
Brady’s choice has opened up questions about how far people should go when dealing with pet loss. The GOAT signal-caller clearly sees cloning as a way to keep his bond with Lua alive. But for many fans and animal lovers, the move feels like Brady audibled into the wrong play.