Is Joey Votto the next Tom Brady?

Joey Votto didn’t want to join the media just yet — he wanted to continue his playing career.

But after signing a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays — turning down multiple media overtures in the process — Votto has called it a career . The longtime Cincinnati Reds first baseman will undoubtedly have a career in the media if he wants it. And Fox should do everything it can to make him part of its MLB coverage moving forward.

That would mean moving on from John Smoltz, but to make progress, sometimes you have to be a little ruthless. Now, Smoltz is not as critically acclaimed as Greg Olsen was in Fox’s No. 1 NFL booth, nor did Fox already have an agreement in place with Votto, as it did with Brady, but the potential of Votto as a #1 MLB analyst is too great to ignore.

Votto probably won’t get a monster 10-year, $370 million offer, but he’ll undoubtedly be a highly-touted commodity on the free agent media market. This is the same Votto who told Dan Patrick prior to the 2024 MLB season that he had 10 times the analyst job offers over the offseason than he did any baseball offers.

But major league teams — for one reason or another – didn’t think Votto had enough left in the tank to warrant offering him a spot on the MLB roster. Although his batting average dipped to a career-low .202, he still managed 14 home runs and 38 RBIs in 65 games for the Reds in 2023.

Following rotator cuff surgery in 2022, he spent time in the Reds’ broadcast booth before returning to the field for what would be his final major league season.

As a player, he wasn’t for everyone. But as an analyst, he certainly could be. Votto knows the game — and we don’t mean baseball — although it’d be hard to argue with his acumen in that area. His signature dry wit has not only shown up when he was mic’d up on the field but during interviews with Chris Russo , too. He also had some time for Max Kellerman , as well, proving that he can be utilized in other areas besides the broadcast booth.

But it’s hard to see Fox unseating Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, or David “Big Papi” Ortiz on its pregame show, even for a legend like Votto, who was made for this. But that’s just fine; he has a certain allure to him in the booth, as he showcased back in 2022.

Before his recent transformation, Votto was often seen as a stoic and somewhat enigmatic figure, much like Tom Brady. Many doubted his ability to connect with audiences in a broadcasting role. However, Votto’s personality took flight when allowed to speak directly to fans.

He added some extra juice to Cincinnati’s broadcast booth during a lost season when he wagered a new truck for a fan.

Of course, we’ve yet to see Brady in the broadcast booth. That won’t take place until the Dallas Cowboys-Cleveland Browns game in Week 1, which will mark his debut as a full-time NFL analyst. While we know that his preparation has been meticulous, unlike Votto, there aren’t any tangible results to judge yet.

The tangible results were his 23 seasons in the NFL, during which time he was the greatest quarterback ever. If we’re going by that, Votto’s resume is impressive, and could put him in Cooperstown, but pales in comparison to Brady’s.

Votto’s ability to connect with fans and offer insightful commentary has been on full display on MLB Network and sports radio. And with multiple offers on the table from other networks, it’s unclear if Fox has even been in the running.

Regardless, Fox can’t miss out on this opportunity, especially considering Votto’s proven track record and the potential he brings to the broadcasting table.

There’s a certain risk associated with going all in on somebody like Votto, but it’s no less than the risk the network is taking with Brady, but probably with fewer dollar signs.

That said, Votto’s knack for connecting with fans, coupled with his deep understanding of baseball and infectious personality, make him a valuable asset to any broadcasting team—not just Fox.

That’s why the network should go ahead and pull a Brady move with the recently retired Votto.

By bringing Votto on board, Fox would inject fresh blood into its MLB coverage and send a strong message about its commitment to the sport’s future.

It’s a strategic move that could pay off big time for years to come. The only question would be how his chemistry would work with Joe Davis, but like Burkhardt with Brady, some of these things seem to work themselves out.

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