What football players are in the new Tostitos commercial?
The NFL stars behind Tostitos’ bold “You Can’t Do That… Without Tostitos” campaign
(By Carmichael Phillip)
Tom Brady & Julian Edelman in Tostitos Commercial
Tostitos, notorious for weaving football culture into its marketing, has launched a striking new ad campaign called “You Can’t Do That … Without Tostitos”. The campaign features well-known NFL veterans stepping in to interrupt unusual life events with the reminder that if you’re going to watch football — anywhere, anytime — you need Tostitos chips and dip. So who are the football personalities behind these spots? This article breaks down the players, the ads, and the strategy driving this campaign.
Star Power in the New Tostitos Campaign
Tostitos “You Can’t Do That Without Tostitos” Spot
The lead faces in the new Tostitos commercials are Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, and Rob Gronkowski. These three former New England Patriots teammates are central to the brand’s latest push into NFL-centric snack culture.
Tom Brady: The legendary quarterback is a marquee name in the campaign, positioned as one of the ad’s star interrupters.
Julian Edelman: The former wide receiver appears alongside Brady in multiple spots, using his persona as both NFL royalty and culture figure to amplify the campaign’s humor.
Rob Gronkowski: The iconic tight end joins the duo, rounding out the familiar trio known for their on-field chemistry.
These three are reunited for the first time in a major commercial campaign under one brand banner, generating buzz and leveraging their shared history to boost memorability for the Tostitos brand.
In various ads within the campaign — such as “Paint & Sip,” “Grocery,” “Pilot,” and “Wedding” — the trio interrupts real-life scenes (like a funeral, wedding, or grocery aisle) to say variations of “You can’t do that … without Tostitos.”
Gronk, Brady, and Edelman: Why These Players?
Rob Gronkowski Talks Tostitos Partnership
What makes Gronkowski, Brady, and Edelman the picks for this campaign? Several strategic reasons:
Strong fan recognition and legacy
These players are household names, especially among NFL and Patriots fans. Their reunion invokes nostalgia and instant recall.
Chemistry and rapport
They already share a public bond from years together in New England. That dynamic helps make their on-camera interactions feel natural and playful.
Cultural relevance beyond football
Each has a media and brand presence beyond the gridiron—Brady in broadcasting, Gronk as a media personality, Edelman in entertainment. That crossover appeal helps the ad reach more than just hardcore sports audiences.
Humor and surprise moments
The campaign leans on comedic interrupts (e.g. at a funeral or wedding). Using familiar faces who can carry humor helps ground those surprise moments while giving them impact.
All told, Tostitos’ decision to cast these three is a high-stakes, high-visibility play, tying snack marketing to football star power.
Campaign Structure & Adspots
“Paint & Sip” Tostitos Ad
The “You Can’t Do That … Without Tostitos” campaign is built as a series of six spots, each interrupting a different everyday scenario:
Wedding
Pilot
Paint & Sip
Grocery
Funeral (or similarly solemn event)
Other daily moment
In each, Brady, Edelman, and Gronkowski show up unexpectedly and challenge the scenario — telling someone they can’t be watching football (or sneaking a peek) without Tostitos. Then they present chips and dip to complete the moment.
For example, the “Paint & Sip” spot features Gronkowski and Edelman posing at a paint party, giving the line and delivering dip.
In “Grocery,” the duo interrupts someone shopping, making the same demand — “you can’t do that … without Tostitos.”
In a funeral spot, Brady and Edelman interrupt to lament someone secretly watching football, then hand over chips.
The campaign is the biggest standalone NFL-themed campaign that Tostitos has done, deepening its alignment as the “official chip and dip of the NFL.”
Other Tostitos / Frito-Lay Football Campaigns & Additional Players
Taste of Super Bowl Campaign
While the current campaign is focused on Brady, Edelman, and Gronkowski, Frito-Lay (the parent company of Tostitos) has sponsored and incorporated many NFL players in its snack advertising over the years. For example:
A 2024 “Taste of Super Bowl” campaign featured Rob Gronkowski, Marshawn Lynch, and Troy Polamalu celebrating with confetti from snack bags like Tostitos.
Earlier, PepsiCo’s broader “Unretirement” campaign included legendary players such as Dan Marino, Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Emmitt Smith, and newer names like Josh Allen across the Frito-Lay and beverage portfolio, which sometimes intersected with Tostitos exposure.
However, these instances are separate from the current “You Can’t Do That … Without Tostitos” campaign, which emphasizes the Brady/Edelman/Gronk trio.
Reception, Strategy & Brand Implications
Inside Tostitos’ NFL Campaign
This campaign is ambitious—one of Tostitos’ most prominent pushes into connecting directly with NFL fans. A few strategic takeaways:
Bold interruption messaging
The concept of interrupting life moments (weddings, funerals, grocery) is risky, but memorable. The shock element aims to break viewers’ ad fatigue.
Cross-platform amplification
Ads run on TV, digital, social media. The players themselves have large social footprints, helping extend campaign reach beyond traditional snack ads.
Deep alignment with football culture
Tostitos is positioning itself not just as a gameday snack but as an intrinsic part of the football experience—“you can’t watch without us.” The tagline underscores that.
Nostalgia + modern appeal
By reuniting former teammates, Tostitos taps nostalgia and leverages names that draw older and newer fans alike.
Risk and rewards
Interrupting a funeral or wedding with snack marketing is edgy. It may alienate some viewers, but the shock value is part of what makes it buzzworthy.
Early reports describe the campaign as Tostitos’ “biggest standalone NFL campaign to date.”
Marketing Dive
Final Word: Who’s in the Commercials?
Recap: Tostitos NFL Campaign
To summarize:
The new Tostitos commercials at the heart of the “You Can’t Do That … Without Tostitos” campaign star Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, and Rob Gronkowski.
These three former New England Patriots teammates interrupt various life events — weddings, funerals, grocery runs, paint nights — to deliver the campaign message.
While other NFL names appear in different snack campaigns or crossover spots, the current Tostitos push is focused on the Brady/Edelman/Gronk trio.
The campaign is bold, high-visibility, and designed to embed Tostitos deeper into football culture.
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