Even before Tom Brady officially announced his retirement last year, he had landed a broadcasting job at Fox. For someone who played the game for over two decades, the hype about his debut was rampant, and it has only grown since. But can a man who viewed the game through the lens of a quarterback analyze every other position? And can he excel at one of the toughest jobs in sports media? While there is no shortage of doubts, sports analyst Joe Pompliano has faith—and some compelling proof.
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During a recent episode of ‘The Joe Pomp Show,’ the sports analyst dived deep into one of the most talked-about topics before the 2024 football season.
As the Cleveland Browns prepare to welcome the Cowboys to their home turf for their season opener on September 8, the broadcasting booth will feature a familiar face—one who threw touchdowns for a living.
But Pompliano mentioned that Brady, 46, has been preparing for this role as diligently as he did when he was just a rookie for the Patriots. He started as a sixth-round pick with no guaranteed spot on the 53-man roster, yet proved once and for all that obsession beats talent every time. He plans to do the same for Fox.
Legendary sportswriter Peter King has also vouched for Brady, noting that the former QB understands full well that all eyes will be on him when the season starts. Therefore, Brady will do everything in his power, including ‘phoning a friend,’ to grasp the rhythm of color commentary.
Considering that the former QB took a year-long sabbatical before making his debut, it shows the extent to which he went to learn the intricacies of commentary. Pompliano mentioned this too, noting that Brady has visited the Fox studio (in LA) multiple times to train with speech coaches and even simulated games with his soon-to-be booth partner, Kevin Burkhardt.
He was also seen vacationing with several Fox media analysts, such as Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson, Terry Bradshaw, and Howie Long, among others, who are certainly showing Brady the ropes.
And if that wasn’t enough, Brady has also recently claimed at a Tech conference that he has started using artificial intelligence to better understand the matchups, the players, and gameplay. These minute details only strengthen one’s confidence in the former QB, but what’s at stake if everything fails?
Fox’s Investment in Brady Won’t Matter Much if Expectations Aren’t Met
The seven-time Super Bowl champ has signed a 10-year, $375 million deal with the media giant, equating to a $37.5 million annual payout. Pompliano noted on his show that this deal also makes Brady the highest-paid broadcaster on the planet, all before he’s even uttered a single word in the commentary booth.
This deal pays Brady about $7 million more than Joe Buck and Troy Aikman combined, widely regarded as the greatest commentator duo in the NFL. This arguably puts the former Patriots man in a tricky spot, as he needs to deliver from the moment he steps into that booth; a lot is riding on him to do so.
However, according to Pompliano, this investment isn’t quite substantial. ESPN already pays a staggering $2.7 billion to the NFL for exclusive rights to Monday Night Football, so Brady’s annual payout amounts to just 1.39% of their largest investment.
The sports commentator believes that the network could recoup this investment in just a few weeks from commercial revenue. The media giant has also implemented some cost-cutting measures, moving Greg Olson to their No. 2 crew and reducing his salary from $7 million to $3 million annually.
These changes make sense both from a business standpoint and in response to audience preferences. While Brady might face a few jabs here and there, there’s no one better suited for this role. He is equipped with the knowledge and has never failed to show his passion for it.
Colin Cowherd recently discussed this, asserting that when he posed hypothetical scenarios to Brady, the former QB broke them down like a standout analyst. Brady is also putting in the work, revealing on the Pat McAfee show that with the amount of research he has done on play-calling, he could even write a book about it. Exciting times ahead!
