Tom Brady’s newest furry family member might seem like déjà vu to those familiar with his pets. The star quarterback’s new dog, Junie, carries the same genetic blueprint as his previous canine companion, Lua.

Brady, who boasts seven Super Bowl victories, recently disclosed in a press release for Colossal Biosciences that Junie was cloned from Lua, a pitbull mix who passed away two years ago. This announcement highlights Brady’s deep appreciation for his pets and the lengths he is willing to go to maintain their presence in his life.

“I love my animals,” Brady expressed in a statement shared by People. “They mean the world to me and my family. A few years ago, I collaborated with Colossal, utilizing their non-invasive cloning technology, which involved just a simple blood draw from our family’s elderly dog before she passed.”

This innovative process has allowed Brady and his three children to experience the joy of having Lua’s essence in their lives once more through Junie. “We have a second chance with a clone of our beloved dog,” Brady noted in the release, conveying his excitement and gratitude for this unique opportunity.

Brady and his then-wife, Gisele Bündchen, adopted Lua in 2014, followed by a beagle named Scooby in 2015 and a terrier named Fluffy in 2016. Lua’s passing in 2023 came shortly after the couple’s divorce, leaving a void in their lives. Brady continues to embrace his love for dogs with Onyx, a black pitbull mix, adding to his cherished collection of pets.

Reaction to Brady’s cloning experiment wasn’t favorable. Even a long-time fan like Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy felt obligated to call out the Fox Sports announcer: ‘I’m a dog guy and a Brady guy. This is weird as f***.’

Tom Brady is seen with his two dogs, including his new pooch, Junie (right), which is a clone

Tom Brady is seen enjoying a nice moment with his dog Lua, who would pass away in 2023

The press release also announced Colossal Biosciences acquisition of Viagen Pets and Equine, which have cloned dogs for the likes of Paris Hilton and Barbra Streisand in recent years. Unsurprisingly, Brady is an investor in Colossal Biosciences.

And it’s not just singers and jocks getting their pets cloned. Argentina’s president Javier Milei admitting to having his own dog, Conan, cloned no fewer than five times. 

Prices for cloning pets can vary from $50,000 to $85,000, so it’s obviously not for everyone. And given that roughly 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized in the United States each year, mostly due to overcrowding, many critics urged others against trying to clone their animals.

‘As much as I wish I could’ve cloned all my pets, I’m telling you right now Tom this is weird get out of this investment and get in on a pet adoption center,’ one person pleaded on X. 

‘Rich People activity,’ another wrote about Brady’s decision.

One fan joked Brady ‘cloned himself in 2000’ as he was embarking on his decorated NFL career with the New England Patriots.  

Many others referenced Michael Crichton’s famed 1990 book about the dangers of cloning dinosaurs.

‘Bro got a Super Bowl ring and a Jurassic Park starter kit,’ one fan joked of Brady.

Tom Brady, who was drafted by the Montreal Expos, takes his stance alongside Lua 

Colossal Biosciences previously made news back in the spring when the company claimed it brought back dire wolves after an estimated 10,000 years of extinction. The all-white puppies were said to be genetically engineered grey wolves with some dire wolf traits.

‘For the first time in human history, Colossal successfully restored a once-eradicated species through the science of de-extinction,’ the company stated on its website.

The company also hopes to resurrect the extinct woolly mammoth by the year 2027.

As much as Brady loves canines, his confusing ‘kick the dog’ statement angered Fox viewers back in September.

The offending remark was delivered during the Bears’ upset of the visiting Cowboys in Chicago, where Dallas’ George Pickens was seen angrily slamming his helmet down on the sidelines.

‘And Picks is not happy, yeah, those moments can be… like the dog at home,’ Brady said during the Fox broadcast. ‘Kick the dog, throw the helmet, whatever it takes.’

Brady bid farewell to the family dog, Lua, back in 2023. They now have at least two dogs 

Tom Brady’s children say ‘goodbye’ to their beloved dog Lua back in 2023 

Brady adopted Lua (left) with his now-ex-wife Gisele Bundchen (right) in 2014 and another dog, Fluffy (center), in 2016. Lua passed away in 2023, shortly after the couple’s divorce

Brady and two of his children are seen holding dogs at a local shelter in this social media pic

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) did not accuse Brady of encouraging animal abuse, but did ask the seven-time Super Bowl champion to be more mindful.

‘PETA encourages Brady to remember that millions of people listen to him, that the language we use can encourage kindness or violence towards animals, and that we should never normalize taking our frustration out on a beloved companion,’ read the group’s statement.

But Brady faced much more anger online, where critics accused him of encouraging animal abuse.

‘Tom Brady just promoted animal abuse on national television,’ read one angry comment on X.