Beat Tom Brady!
That chant recently echoed inside a Pennsylvania gymnasium after the crowd was shown a video message of the legendary quarterback challenging one of the high school’s teachers to a rematch at the upcoming Fanatics Games.
Matt Dennish — a 40-year-old health teacher who finished third in last summer’s multi-sport skills competition that was won by Brady for the $1 million grand prize — accepted.
“I’m up for the challenge,” he told NBC Local. “I’ve been looking at my results and thinking what could I have done differently, and if I had done better could I have beaten him? Mathematically, I think there was a chance. But he does what he does and he took first place.”
The rematch will take place in at Fanatics Fest from July 16-19 at the Javits Center in New York City — with a combination of 50 professional athletes, celebrities and creators and 50 fans competing individually with $2 million in prizes up for grabs.
Brady issued the challenge to Dennish during an assembly at Red Lion High School in York, Pennsylvania. With the stands filled with students and faculty, the principal invited Dennish onto the court, saying she received a message from Fanatics.
A video from Brady then began to play.
“What’s up Red Lion? I had to send this cause I got a message for one of your teachers, Mr. Dennish,” Brady said. “Matt, remember me? Your Fanatics Games rival, Tom Brady. Yeah. Last year at Fanatics Fest I was very fortunate to beat 100 great athletes and fans to win the inaugural Fanatics Games. But Matt, you were incredible. So, I hear Fanatics Games is back this July in New York City, I’m gonna be there, so I’m calling for a rematch. Winning feels best when you beat the best. So, Matt, I sent you something with Fanatics, if you accept, put it on, and I’ll see you in New York in July. Let the games begin. Let’s go!”
Dennish then opened a box to find a Fanatics Games jersey with his name and the number three on the back, signifying his third-place finish. Dennish put on the jersey and raised his arms as the crowd cheered.
“When my principal called me out, I thought they were just going to acknowledge as a school-wide announcement, congratulating me for the games, I didn’t know,” Dennish said. “Then the video popped up on the screen and we’re all standing there watching Tom Brady speak to our school and myself…This whole experience, I just keep telling people, I can’t be surprised with what’s gonna happen next because it’s just been one little surprise after another.”
Dennish finished last year’s event as the highest-scoring fan, topping pro athletes like James Harden and Eli Manning.
Brady, before donating the remainer of his winnings to charity, offered Dennish $250,000 cash on the spot for his third-place prize, a highly-valuable LeBron James rookie card. Dennish accepted. What did he spend the money on?
“I was told not to share because it’s really boring,” he said with a laugh, adding that he made some home improvements and investments.
Now he’s aiming for the top prize.
Dennish was a 6-foot-6 varsity athlete at Red Lion High School, competing in basketball, track and cross country. He went on to run track at the Division I level at East Carolina University in North Carolina before returning home to become a teacher at his alma mater 17 years ago.
He’ll soon begin training for the eight disciplines in the upcoming Fanatics Games — which includes an NFL clutch kick challenge, NBC game winner challenge, MLB swing-off, NHL shoot & score, FIFA ultimate goal challenge, Dick’s Sporting Goods putting challenge, UFC striking challenge and WWE superstar entrance.
Last year’s top-10 finishers are expected to compete once again, including reigning runner-up, UFC fighter Justin Gaethje. Other confirmed participants so far include Harden, Rob Gronkowski, and WWE stars Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Cody Rhodes, and Jey Uso — all of whom Dennish is pictured with on promotional material for this year’s event.
Fans hoping to enter can compete at in-person qualifiers starting this May in Tennessee, Georgia, Texas and Massachusetts, or submit a video application on the Fanatics website or social media.
That was how Dennish qualified for last year’s competition, finding out he was selected just weeks before the event after receiving a call directly from Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin.
“We’ve got five months…definitely have more time to train,” he said. “There’s some kicking events, maybe gotta work on the foot skills. Just be well rounded, and mental focus is going to be crucial, as always.”
Particularly when being challenged by Brady.
“If we’re both near the top and I overcome him,” Dennish said, “I think that would be pretty special.”
After Brady’s video played and Dennish put on his jersey, the school principal had one final message for the crowd.
“On the count of three, I want you all to yell, ’Beat Tom Brady!’” she said.
“The school did a nice job of yelling, ‘Beat Tom Brady!” Dennish said. “I guess they’re rooting for me. So, we ‘ll see what happens.”
Tanner Dikan, a 13-year-old from Topsfield, Massachusetts, got the opportunity play catch with NFL legend Tom Brady and meet other big name athletes thanks to Fanatics and Make-a-Wish.
→ Continue reading at NBC New York
