Unlike many NFL players who are unsure of what their life would look like after retire, recently retired Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has had a plan well before he took his final snap.
In May 2022, Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox Sports, which would begin during the first season that Brady wasn’t playing. Even though he is now technically not affiliated with an NFL team, Fox has not confirmed whether the future Hall of Famer would be part of their coverage of Super Bowl LVII, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
In the deal, Brady was guaranteed the number one analyst spot on the network, sitting next to lead play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt.
Here are three early predictions for Brady’s TV career.
Personality At A Premium
It’s going to be really interesting to see how Brady tries to captivate a national audience on a weekly basis. There are certain former players and coaches who have ascended to the broadcast booth, and have had predictable success. Others have made the same transition, and have not been well received. There won’t be much rope for Brady, who won’t be able to get developmental reps on a regional broadcast every Sunday at 1pm EST.
Brady has always been incredible polite and well-spoken in press conferences throughout his career. He’s always taken a professional approach in that arena, but when speaking to viewers at home, he’ll need to find his voice. He hasn’t come across as being particularly funny, dramatic or bombastic, but it’s possible we’ll see that side of Brady next fall.
A Decade Is A Long Time
The network splurged for the biggest name in NFL history, and was willing to ink him to a long term deal in order to secure his services. It makes sense for Fox, who has the rights to two out of the next three Super Bowls, and is betting that Brady’s presence on their telecasts might lure casual fans in who might not have otherwise tuned in.
It’s unclear whether Brady has had a longstanding desire to be a part of NFL coverage, but it may be difficult to envision him lasting for the full duration of that contract. Sure, his duties would only cover a few months, leaving him plenty of time to pursue other interests in the offseason. With that said, it wouldn’t be surprising if Brady found something else to sink his teeth into before 2033.
Competitive Desires
With the above context in mind, it’s important to remember that Brady is one of the most competitive athletes of all time. He didn’t come into the NFL with many special God-given gifts; he was willing to put in more time than almost anyone else to gain an advantage, and that work ethic was what catapulted him to the top.
Maybe broadcasting metrics will fuel Brady to run circles around his competitors at CBS, NBC and ESPN. It seems feasible though that the greatest quarterback of all-time might want to return to something with higher stakes. It’ll be fascinating to watch.
