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Essentials Inside The Story

  • The Dunkin’ Super Bowl ad plays into nostalgia.
  • Super Bowl commercials continue getting more expensive.
  • Celebrity-heavy ads are now often structured more carefully.

Tom Brady may be retired from the gridiron, but he just secured another multi-million dollar Super Bowl payday without taking a single snap. During the 2026 Grammy Awards, Dunkin’ gave the fans a little teaser of a ’90s-themed Super Bowl commercial, starring Hollywood stars Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, and Jason Alexander. The commercial came to life today, and even featured a Brady appearance. How much did the legendary quarterback make from this commercial?

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While details surrounding Tom Brady’s earnings from the commercial aren’t explicitly revealed, deals for stars of Brady’s stature are often estimated in the $3–5M range. However, the legendary quarterback is likely to make the higher end of that range.

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The amount is unlikely to be more than that because just getting on the air isn’t cheap anymore, with CBS charging roughly $7 million for a 30-second Super Bowl spot before production, talent fees, or anything else. Adding celebrities to the mix dramatically increases costs, which is why the brands have started being more careful now.

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Multi-eight-figure commercial deals are rarer today, though they still happen in special cases involving production or long-term partnerships.

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“Given that it costs 8 million dollars to purchase 30 seconds of media time, brands tightened their budgets,” Tim Curtis, a partner at WME, said.

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“The days of a $10-or-15-million-dollar payday for a Super Bowl commercial are largely over, with some rare exceptions. The sweet spot now for A+ talent typically sits within that $3-to-5-million-dollar range, unless the creative idea is contingent upon one celebrity’s involvement.”

That’s also why the fans are seeing more commercials built around quick appearances, where the stars come in for a few hours, maybe for a day of shooting, collect a mid-six-figure or low-seven-figure check, and wrap things up. Still, when a Super Bowl advert includes Tom Brady, a $3 to $5 million payout is justified.

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However, a bigger payday isn’t out of the question, especially since Ben Affleck earned around $10 million for his 2023 Dunkin’ commercial with Jennifer Lopez, who pulls up when the actor is working at the drive-thru. Add in the fact that a Good Will Hunting-themed ad featuring Tom Brady and Ben Affleck is likely to be very profitable for Dunkin’.

Tom Brady recreates the iconic Good Will Hunting scene

The entire idea of this ad works because Dunkin’ is Boston to its core, and Ben Affleck has never hidden his loyalty to the brand, with this being his third commercial with the company. The concept leans on Good Will Hunting and the old idea that greatness doesn’t always announce itself, and might just be sitting there, without anyone noticing it.

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Affleck’s character is scrawling equations across the Dunkin’ storefront window and lining up Donut Hole Treats in a particular pattern, enough to catch the attention of the store manager, played by Jason Alexander, who quickly becomes convinced he’s dealing with a once-in-a-generation intellect.

From there, the ad leans into a 1990s sitcom rhythm, pulling in familiar faces like Matt LeBlanc, Alfonso Ribeiro, Jaleel White, and Ted Danson. Set in the mid-1990s, when iced coffee hadn’t yet become an everyday thing, a brief exchange between Affleck’s Will and LeBlanc’s character was essentially a nod to the brand’s early role in making iced coffee mainstream.

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The scene then shifts outside the shop, where Jennifer Aniston introduces Tom Brady as her ‘new boyfriend,’ with a callback to Good Will Hunting, recreating the “How do you like them apples?” scene that was originally performed by Affleck’s longtime friend Matt Damon.

Given that the ad centers on the themes of the most recognizable coming-of-age films of the 1990s, paired with a lineup drawn from some of the decade’s most iconic sitcoms, it will be talked about for a while. With a lineup this iconic, it’s hard to imagine Dunkin’ regretting the investment in Brady and the rest of the cast.

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Aryan Mamtani

1,067 Articles

Aryan Mamtani is an NFL writer at EssentiallySports with a strong analytical background and a deep passion for football. A former player and lifelong sports fan, Aryan brings a mix of football knowledge and emotional insight to his coverage. He specializes in breaking down complex plays, team strategies, and league dynamics in ways that resonate with both die-hard fans and casual readers. His work includes detailed analysis of games such as Sunday Night Football and storytelling that highlights the personal journeys behind the players. Aryan has experience in research and data analysis, which he skillfully incorporates into his writing. This approach allows him to deliver insightful, data-driven sports content that connects with diverse audiences through clear and engaging storytelling.

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Saad Rashid

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