Alix Earle and Tom Brady’s brief New Year’s Eve interaction has turned into one of the first viral talking points of the year. It has sparked comments from fans, celebrities, and even morning show hosts. Now, Jenna Bush Hager is weighing in, offering a calmer take amid buzz about whether a romance might be brewing between the influencer and the retired NFL star.
Jenna Bush Hager on Alix Earle rubbing Tom Brady’s back: ‘Could be friendly’
The internet lit up after a New Year’s Eve party in St. Barths, where Earle and Brady were seen sharing what many online interpreted as flirty moments. According to a source who spoke to Us Weekly, the two “were together the entire night” at a Palm Tree Crew celebration. Moreover, the tipster claimed the two shared “a lot of chemistry” after mutual friends vacationing on the island introduced them.
Those claims gained traction once videos circulated showing Earle placing her hand on Brady’s back while leaning in to speak to him. The moment quickly fueled speculation that the two might be exploring a connection, especially since Earle recently ended her relationship with Braxton Berrios. The same insider, however, maintained that Earle wasn’t looking for “anything serious” and was simply enjoying the night.
The chatter became so widespread that celebrities began reacting to it. During an episode of Today With Jenna & Friends, Jenna Bush Hager addressed the clip after Page Six’s Danny Murphy and Evan Real suggested the gesture looked unmistakably romantic. Bush Hager pushed back gently, noting that physical closeness doesn’t always equal a relationship. “That could be friendly, no?” she asked, surprising the reporters who insisted there was more to it.
Earle didn’t exactly calm the conversation when she later posted a New Year’s recap on Instagram. She called the night one of “new friends, new memories, and new beginnings.” Though she didn’t mention Brady by name, fans took it as a playful nod to the rumors.
Even Earle’s family joined in on the fun. Her father, TJ Earle, joked in a TikTok video that he bought a jacket because he saw Brady wearing something similar, leaving his wife momentarily stunned before laughing at the coincidence.
