Tom Brady entered the 2024-2025 NFL season under immense scrutiny as he embarked on a new chapter of his career: his first year of a 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox Sports to serve as a color commentator. However, Brady’s rookie year in broadcasting has been far from smooth, with fans across social media voicing their dissatisfaction. “Maybe Brady’s not cut out for broadcasting,” one critic lamented, while another tweeted, “TB is the GOAT, but he is brutal at this.”
The expectations for Brady have been sky-high. After all, his legendary status as a seven-time Super Bowl champion, combined with his record-breaking contract, demanded excellence. Yet, his performance has been deemed underwhelming by many, with some fans even clamoring for Greg Olsen—a former tight end and Emmy-winning NFL analyst— to reclaim his spot alongside Kevin Burkhardt. However, Brady is a rookie at this job, and many hope that his unique insight into the game will elevate his performance come next year.
Critics have taken issue with Brady’s “low and shrill” voice, his lack of engaging insights and an unsettling frequency of on-air blunders. His latest misstep occurred during the NFC Wild Card game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers, marking his first- ever playoff broadcast. In an attempt to compliment Philadelphia’s play-calling, Brady made an embarrassing slip:
“[You have] three timeouts, so you’d have a couple plays. But I like this call by the Phillies… excuse me, by Philly,” Brady said, per the Daily Mail. The mistake, conflating the city’s baseball team with its football team, quickly went viral.
The errors didn’t stop there. Later in the game, Brady mistakenly referred to Packers running back Josh Jacobs as Brandon Jacobs—a retired Giants running back who hasn’t played since 2013. These gaffes have fueled skepticism about his abilities in the booth.
Adding to the complexity is Brady’s minority ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders, which has led to unprecedented restrictions imposed by the NFL. Brady is barred from attending production meetings with teams, participating in practices, or even entering team facilities. These limitations undoubtedly hinder his ability to deliver the in-depth analysis fans expect, raising questions about whether these constraints explain his stumbles.
The stakes are about to get even higher: Brady is slated to call this year’s Super Bowl on February 9. For decades, Super Bowl analysts have gone to great lengths to provide unparalleled insights by meeting with head coaches, coordinators and star players.
Brady’s inability to access these resources is a significant concern for fans and pundits alike.
In a recent appearance on Colin Cowherd’s Fox Sports Radio show, Brady addressed the criticism, stating he remains committed to his role at Fox for the next nine years,and possibly beyond. But whether he can win over his detractors remains to be seen.
The Super Bowl will be a defining moment for Brady’s broadcasting career. A stellar performance could silence critics and solidify his place in the booth, while another rocky showing will only increase the volume of his critics.