Which big name addition is off to best start?

This fall brought perhaps the biggest influx of big name talent into the sports media universe that we’ve ever seen.

We’ve seen the broadcast debuts of the best and most accomplished player in NFL history (Tom Brady), the most accomplished NFL coach of all-time (Bill Belichick), one of the greatest coaches in college football history (Nick Saban), and a future Hall of Famer who also hosts the most popular sports podcast in the country (Jason Kelce).

Now that we’ve reached October and each one has had a month in their new roles under their belts, which one has made the biggest impact? Which ones need more time to develop? And which ones look like they might be able to match the heights of their incredible football careers in the television industry? That’s up to unaccomplished, totally ordinary people like us to decide. America, what a country!

So with football season at the quarter pole, here’s a power ranking of where the big four land so far.

4) Jason Kelce

The former Eagles center certainly has the biggest personality of the quartet, and that has clearly been shown on Monday Night Countdown so far. He leads the way in viral and funny moments and his interactions with Scott Van Pelt and the rest of the crew seem natural.

However, the standout moment from Kelce so far was a net negative – his extended guest appearance in the booth for ESPN’s Falcons-Eagles broadcast in Week 2 represented what felt like a broadcast you’d see on local Philadelphia television. It was so over-the-top that Kelce even apologized to fans who were turned off by it .

Yes, the Kelces are both fighting over-exposure , but aside from that MNF appearance, Jason has largely flown under the radar at ESPN. Some of that is due to just how many personalities cover the NFL for the network where he’s one of a hundred voices and some of that is that he’s really only seen one day a week. So far, Kelce hasn’t stood out as a transformational sports media figure like one might have thought when he entered the space.

3) Tom Brady

If this ranking was done after Brady’s first 30 minutes as a commentator, he would rank fifth out of four. His first impression left viewers thinking Fox had burned $375 million in its biggest loss since the Dominion settlement. Thankfully for Brady and Fox, he’s turned it around in a big way since his rough opening.

You can already tell that Brady is getting way more comfortable in the booth alongside Kevin Burkhardt through just a few weeks. And he’s beginning to be more open and honest in his commentary. His thoughts on Baker Mayfield in Tampa revealed some refreshingly honest thoughts.

And more than anything, you can tell that Brady loves football with some of his excitement and enthusiasm, which probably shows why when given the choice to do literally anything in his post-playing career, he chose to become an announcer.

2) Bill Belichick

The legendary Patriots coach has a smorgasbord of media roles ranging from the ManningCast to Inside the NFL to Pat McAfee’s show and The 33rd Team. But no matter where he is appearing, Belichick is offering the insights that fans and viewers crave.

In his coaching days, Belichick was known for his stoic demeanor and his reluctance to offer anything interesting to the media, unless he was being asked about long snappers , that is. However, in his short time in the sports media, Belichick has displayed a different side to his personality that others in the football world said was there all along.

While Belichick shines in all of his roles, his appearances on the ManningCast have taken the industry’s most popular altcast to another level. It’s an interesting approach given Belichick spreads his appearances in largely supporting roles across a number of shows.

The conventional wisdom is that he’s using this time as a break and show a softer side in hopes of gaining a coaching role next year and challenging the all-time NFL wins record. But he’s already shown enough positives to make a permanent home in sports media if he so desires.

1) Nick Saban

Although it’s been a month, Nick Saban is a clear winner in the big four sports media sweepstakes so far. The former Alabama head coach is the missing piece that has made College GameDay whole.

Last year the program added the bombastic Pat McAfee, which led to polarization amongst college football fans on whether the show was better or worse than it was in previous years. There’s no such debate about Saban’s addition.

As Lee Corso only appears sporadically these days, it feels like the show is entering a new era. Saban has brought much needed balance to the show with his history in the sport and his perspective about its ongoing transformation. But the great thing about it has been that Saban isn’t afraid to have some fun too.

Saban has clearly had the biggest and most positive impact thus far amongst the big four sports media additions. He may not be in it for the long haul at 72 years of age, but his rookie campaign couldn’t have gone much better out of the gate. He does have one area for improvement though – his picks aren’t as good as Miss Terry .

The post Power ranking the big four sports media newbies so far this fall appeared first on Awful Announcing .