NFL fans were rough on Tom Brady's first day in the booth for FOX Sports as an NFL broadcaster. The seven-time NFL champion shared duties with lead play-by-play voice Kevin Burkhardt, who was praised for his ability to "carry Brady through the broadcast."
Brady signed a massive 10-year contract worth $375 million after officially announcing his second and final retirement from the league. FOX agreed to pay the QB legend nearly $37.5 million annually, making him one of the highest-paid media personalities in the industry.
The decorated NFL QB made his broadcasting debut as the Dallas Cowboys took on the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field in hostile Dawg Pound territory. The game occurred on the same day that Cowboys QB Dak Prescott finalized a four-year, $240M contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history .
The NFL commemorated Brady's debut with a tweet dedicated to his first moments in the broadcast booth with Burkhardt. "We're here," said Brady. "It been quite a journey but I love being your partner."
Brady's first analysis addressed Prescott's new contract and how money puts expectations on the league's highest-paid man. "Dak signed the largest contract in the history of the NFL . Now, he's gotta go out there and earn it. 2023 was his best season, but going forward, its going to be [about] what happens in the postseason. Today, his challenge is Myles Garrett."
Throughout the game, Brady's performance as a broadcaster came under heavy fire, with many fans calling for the return of Greg Olsen, who had excelled alongside Burkhardt in the role last season. Olsen's apparent demotion from Fox's lead broadcasting team following Brady's much-publicized debut struck a chord with viewers, who voiced their frustrations on X.
One disgruntled fan tweeted: "The only thing worse than the Browns offense is Tom Brady's performance in the booth." Another echoed this sentiment, stating: "It was a mistake to take Greg Olsen off the main broadcast team for Fox and give the position to Tom Brady. Greg Olsen was amazing at color commentary , and Brady so far is just kinda bland and boring."
The criticism seemed to flood social media, with another fan remarking: "I don't want to overreact to Week 1, but Tom Brady is the worst announcer in the NFL." Yet another cutting comment was added: "Maybe someone should have listened to Tom Brady actually say words before dropping $300 million on him."
NFL fans also found humor in Brady’s debut perfectly encapsulated by a tweet quickly gaining traction. Brady's breakdown of a first down left fans wanting more after he said, "It’s hard to make ten, but really hard to make 20 yards."
The tweet proved to show one of Brady's more awkward commentary moments, where his analysis felt lacking in comparison to the expectations set by his massive contract. To add insult to injury, Brady was heard using the same phrase twice almost immediately later in the game.
Most Popular
Comments / 0