Tom Brady takes first steps in transition from football field to TV booth

Fox Sports is spending $375 million to put Tom Brady in the broadcast booth, and the network wants to make sure everyone knows he’s there.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion made his debut as an NFL analyst during the Fox broadcast of the regular season opener between the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. But first came a Brady hype video leading into the pregame show, where the studio team admitted they couldn’t help but “fanboy” over their new co-worker.

“You’re a broadcaster, how about that!” play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt said when the camera cut to the booth in Cleveland where Brady, in a coat and tie, made his first appearance on screen.

“We’re here. It’s been quite a journey, but I love being your partner,” the ex-quarterback responded.

Brady played 23 years in the NFL before retiring after the 2022 season. He signed a 10-year deal with Fox Sports to become the network’s lead football analyst but took last year off — a gap that only added to the anticipation over whether the most decorated quarterback in football history could transfer some of those skills to the booth.

A commercial a few minutes before the kickoff featured Brady in his various football uniforms talking to his current self, questioning why he didn’t just take the estimated $450 million he earned in his NFL career and “lay on a beach getting fat on pina coladas.”

“What they’re really asking is why don’t you quit football?’ They don’t understand that you live and breathe for football. Because you’re Tom freaking Brady,” a succession of helmeted Bradys say. “And our football journey isn’t even close to done.”

“Back to work,” the current Brady says.

With five Super Bowl MVP awards in his seven victories in the game — six for New England and one for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Brady established himself as the greatest player in NFL history. He retired with the career records for wins and playoff wins, passing touchdowns and playoff passing touchdowns, and passing yards and playoff passing yards, among other bests.

And although he couldn’t completely avoid controversy in his career — most notably during the two-year Deflategate odyssey that led to a four-game suspension for cheating — Brady rarely made news with anything he said. For the early part of Sunday’s game, Brady’s commentary was knowledgeable but lacking the personality that has made stars of broadcasters like John Madden or, more recently, Tony Romo and Peyton Manning.

(Of course Brady, a sixth-round draft pick who spent his first NFL season as the No. 4 quarterback on the Patriots roster, managed to grow into the quarterbacking thing just fine.)

Brady’s new career has already seen a setback because his concurrent attempt to purchase a minority share in the Las Vegas Raiders means he won’t have the access to team facilities, players and coaches that other broadcasters receive. He also must abide by the league constitution and bylaws that prohibit public criticism of officials and other clubs, but is allowed to broadcast Raiders games.

The much-anticipated debut stole some of the attention from the game between the defending NFC East champion Cowboys, who signed quarterback Dak Prescott to a record-setting four-year, $240 million contract earlier Sunday, and the Browns.

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