Tom Brady hasn’t even started his comeback, but he’s already decided what he’s going to do with his time when (and if) he ever retires from his football career. The seven-time Super Bowl champ is reportedly signing a deal with Fox Sports worth $375 million over 10 years. Yes, that’s $375 million—for talking. Wish they’d pay my wife for that, we’d be loaded.
Excited, but a lot of unfinished business on the field with the @Buccaneers #LFG https://t.co/FwKlQp02Hi
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) May 10, 2022
The deal, sure to make Jets and Patriots fans miserable, will make him the highest-paid announcer in all of sports, earning him almost as much moolah as he took home in his entire football career ($500 million). At this rate, he’ll soon join NBA legend Michael Jordan in the Billionaires’ Club.
He will, not surprisingly, serve as Fox’s lead football analyst. Twitter of course was afire, with Brady’s good friend and former teammate Julian Edelman quick to tease his buddy:
“When he retires” #BelieveItWhenISeeIt @TomBrady https://t.co/Pdd4RjGdj9 pic.twitter.com/ho85Mp3fT3
— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) May 10, 2022
And pity all those fans who have seen Brady torch their home team for the last 20-plus years:
Can you not call Jets games please
— NYJ Matt (@NYJ_Matt) May 10, 2022
To recap Brady’s busy off-season: The Greatest of All Time (GOAT) officially retired on February 1, only to “un-retire” slightly more than a month later, tweeting, “Unfinished business LFG.” (Look up LFG if you need to; I can’t print it here.)
Brady was picked 199th in the 2000 draft, something that both annoyed and motivated him throughout his career. On his way to winning seven Super Bowls, the GOAT amassed staggering statistics:
Brady retires holding records for passing yards (96,969), passing touchdowns (707), game-winning drives (67), fourth-quarter comebacks (51), Super Bowl rings (seven) and wins (277). He has been named the MVP three times and has a chance to be named the MVP a fourth time should voters give him the honors for the 2021 campaign. Over his career, 92 different receivers have caught a touchdown. He is the oldest player to do just about anything in the NFL, ranging from winning a Super Bowl to leading the league in passing yards (though at 47 years old, George Blanda is the oldest player to throw a touchdown pass). He is older than both coaches currently leading their teams in the Super Bowl (Zac Taylor is 38, Sean McVay is 36). (This was written before the SB, obviously.)
Only time will tell if he can be as successful in the broadcast booth. Some fans were quick to point out that nobody tunes in to hear the announcers, they tune in to watch the action:
$37.5 million a year, and not one person is going to decide whether or not to watch the game because of who the color guy is. https://t.co/gbhCp6Gb4R
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) May 10, 2022
Personally, I think Brady will be a good announcer; he’s likable and funny and knows the game better than anyone. But will he be $375 million good? That’s a stretch, and Fox Sports is taking a huge gamble on this one.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member