Tom Brady stuns viewers by criticizing a child for dropping his pass live on air: 'Catch the damn ball'

Tom Brady left horrified viewers stunned with his brutal criticism of young children live on Fox's NFL coverage on Thursday. 

The seven-time Super Bowl winner was in Detroit to call the Lions' annual Thanksgiving game against the Green Bay Packers but Brady didn't appear to be in such a giving mood as he had little encouragement to offer to the next generation. 

Ahead of kickoff, the Fox crew welcomed two young Lions fans onto the set outside Ford Field, where they were gifted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: Catching a pass from the legendary Brady. 

The network had run a similar activity ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs' Week 2 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and Brady had some savage feedback. 

Outside Arrowhead one of the children had fumbled the pass from Brady and, as Fox showed a replay of the moment on their Thanksgiving broadcast, the former signal caller gave a critical assessment. 

'Sorry not sorry, catch the damn ball,' the NFL legend bluntly said live on air. 

Brady's brutal comment left viewers equally stunned and in stitches as the moment swiftly went viral on social media. 

'Tom Brady told them kids "catch the damn ball",' one fan posted alongside laughing -face emojis. 

'tom Brady got no middle ground im cryin he don’t give af if you’re 8 or 85 we’re doing this game full send,' another shared. 

'Tom Brady still a competitive person even when throwing to kids,' a third claimed, while another insisted: 'Well, you don't get to be the GOAT if you don't expect the best from your receivers...'

'Daaayum. Did Tom Brady just tell that little boy “sorry not sorry catch the damn ball” on national family day? That’s f***ing epic,' another amused fan wrote.

'lol, savage Tom! Gotta teach 'em young,' one quipped, as another added: 'Tom Brady has ZERO CHILL.'

Luckily for the two young Lions fans called up for the task on Thanksgiving, they didn't repeat the same mistake and avoided Brady's wrath. 

Thursday marked Brady's second Thanksgiving as an NFL commentator after calling his first game on the holiday last year. 

Last season - the first of his ten-year, $375 million deal with the network - Brady was hilariously caught out by the 'discovery' that he had to work the holiday. 

However, despite Brady's initial faux shock, he later took to social media to insist that he was fired up for the game.