American football superstar Tom Brady has been trading texts with Florida's Republican governor Ron DeSantis, according to reports.
The New York Times said on Monday that it had obtained a leaked audio clip in which another Republican politician told supporters that Mr DeSantis and Mr Brady were on texting terms.
The news attracted criticism and mockery on social media on Monday, with many left-of-centre users expressing disappointment with Mr Brady for his ties to a leading light of the GOP.
"Tom Brady continuing to tarnish his legacy off the field in addition to on the field," said author Aaron Gouveia, who is a fan of Mr Brady's old team the New England Patriots. "Jackass."
Rob Bowman, a high school teacher in Southern California, said: "That Tom Brady is friendly with Ron DeSantis is the least surprising thing I have ever heard. I hope they both go down in flames."
The leak follows Mr Brady's surprise announcement this March that he was cancelling his "retirement" after just two months and returning to the field for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion and former Patriots quarterback has long hinted at holding conservative politics, lending his endorsement to frequent golfing partner Donald Trump back in 2015.
At other times he has distanced himself from Mr Trump, such as by a reception at the White House after winning the 2017 Super Bowl.
Monday's leaked audio clip came from a closed event held by Tim Michels, who is running to be governor of Wisconsin and said that he had joined Mr DeSantis at a Green Bay Packers game in the state last month.
"[Mr DeSantis] had never been to Lambeau Field before and he wanted to go," Mr Michels reportedly said, referring to the Packers' home stadium. "We’re sitting there, you know, we’re watching the game, and all of a sudden I look over and he’s texting. And he says, ‘how do you spell Lambeau?’"
"I say, ‘who are you texting with?’ He says, ‘I’m texting with Tom Brady.’ The governor of Florida gets to text with Tom Brady."
Mr Michels then added: "I’m hoping that when I’m governor of Wisconsin, I can text Aaron Rodgers." Mr Rodgers is a Packers quarterback who has won plaudits among conservatives for expressing scepticism about Covid-19 vaccines.
The leak attracted caustic commentary on Monday. "Gross, but unsurprising," said former Hillary Clinton campaigner Kaivan Shroff. "Maybe this was the last straw for Giselle," said sports writer Michael Salfino, referring to reports that Mr Brady and his wife Gisele Bündchen have hired divorce lawyers.
"I think there will be a time in the not-so-distant future when New Englanders claim that they were never really that into Tom Brady," said Ryan Ednos, a political scientist at Harvard University.
Mr Brady and Mr DeSantis have been asked for comment.
