Tom Brady has seen a rise in popularity because of 'white rage and white supremacy,' professor claims

An associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Rhode Island has written a book wherein he dedicates an entire chapter to explaining how New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady — considered by many to be the greatest of all time — owes a rise in his popularity to a "wave of white rage and white supremacy."

What are the details?

Campus Reform first reported on the assertions made by professor Kyle Kusz in his book, "Making American White Men Great Again: Tom Brady, Donald Trump, and the Allure of White Male Omnipotence in Post-Obama America," wherein the academic claims Brady's image was bolstered by what the author calls the "latest wave of white rage and white supremacy."

That wave came along, Kusz writes, because the Obama presidency brought on a "disturbing racial reaction among white conservatives in response to the idea that a black man would be [president.]"

Kusz cited examples of Brady flaunting his privilege, pointing to the NFL star's proclivity for attending the Kentucky Derby (but bringing mostly white guests), his stringent diet, and how he is glorified in commercials.

The professor explains, "Brady is positioned as the master of his own fate. His white masculinity is represented as deserving of public veneration not only for his success and self-discipline, but because he enjoys it all without apology or any trace of shame or guilt. In other words, part of Brady's public appeal rests in his ability to signify a guilt-free, omnipotent white male who unabashedly embraces the idyllic life that his wealth and white manliness provide."

Anything else?

Kusz has received some mocking from the press for his analysis. Fox News's Ryan Gaydos began his reporting on the assistant professor's assessment by writing: "It's not the six Super Bowls. It's not the three MVP awards. It's not the three All-Pro selections. And it's definitely not the 14 Pro Bowl selections. The real reason why Tom Brady is popular is because, you guessed it, white supremacy."

Newsweek's Matthew Impelli was a bit more subtle, writing that "Brady is one of the most accomplished and decorated NFL stars of all time," yet "Kusz does not think Brady's popularity stems from his six Superbowl titles but instead due to white supremacy and white male rage."