Photo: Getty Images
Billionaire Michael Rubin shot down rumors of Tom Brady and Kim Kardashian dating that reignited after both attended his Fourth of July party earlier this month.
"Honestly, they're just friends," Rubin told Entertainment Tonight while attending the Shawn Carter (Jay-Z) Foundation's 20-year anniversary black-tie gala in New York City over the weekend. "It's just the crazy rumors that get out there."
Rubin, the CEO of Fanatics and former owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, provided more details about the party.
"Tom was with me a ton of the night and we were having fun, and Tom just doesn't go out that much. It's a rare sighting. And Kim doesn't drink much," Rubin said. "So I think Kim's 10 or 12 shots she had, [and] Tom, you know, being fun, it just leads to rumors," Michael added. "We always want to laugh about it."
Last week, the celebrity gossip account Deuxmoi shared what appears to be a photo taken from Rubin's party with "Tom" marked over a man resembling Brady with his back turned and "Kim" over a woman who appears to have the same figure as Kardashian.
"I've been seeing some posts speculate whether or not Kim and Tom actually spent time together at the party and I wasn't gonna send this initially bc it felt creepy but I do have a photo of them together lol," a message sent to and re-shared by Deuxmoi with the photo states.
Rumors of a potential relationship re-ignited when Brady, 45, and Kardashian, 42, were among the numerous A-list celebrities who attended Rubin's, but reports from the party are conflicting.
An insider told Daily Mail that the appeared to be getting cozy together during the event.
"Kim and Tom were super flirty with each other at Rubin's party and were seen during the day on the beach together and again dancing at night," the source said, adding that the seven-time Super Bowl champion is "exactly [Kim's] type."
Another source told PEOPLE.com that "[they] said hi briefly when she arrived at the party."
"Kim and Tom barely even spoke at the party and barely even said hello," a second claimed.
Kardashian was reported to have "had some liquid courage" at the party and "overheard telling friends she has a crush on Tom," but a third source said there's still nothing romantic between the two, the Boston Herald reported.
Brady was initially linked to Kardashian in May, but his representatives claim the two are "just friends," according to Entertainment Tonight.
"Tom and Kim have been in touch because Kim is looking to buy property where Tom has a vacation home," the source said before specifying that the relationship was platonic.
The response came after Page Six had reported that Kardashian reached out to Brady before touring Baker's Bay Golf & Ocean Club, an exclusive members-only residential community in the Bahamas in which Brady has a home. In April, Deuxmoi (h/t Barstool Sports' Jerry Thornton) shared a tip hinting that Brady and Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon were a couple, which reps for both parties later denied.
The rumors came months after the seven-time Super Bowl champion filed for divorce from his ex-wife, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, after 13 years of marriage in October. Kardashian also divorced from ex-husband Kanye West in 2022.
Brady announced he's "retiring for good" after 23 NFL seasons in a video shared on his official social media accounts. The 45-year-old had previously announced his retirement last offseason before announcing his decision to return several weeks later.
Brady is set to become FOX Sports' lead NFL analyst beginning after the conclusion of his playing career, but has publicly stated that he won't start until 2024, taking the next year to spend time with his family and prepare for the job. The San Mateo native is the NFL's all-time passing leader for yards and touchdowns, as well as quarterback wins, among numerous other records.