Tom Brady Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Tom Brady is just days away from calling Super Bowl LIX, where over 100 million people will be watching.

The NFL on Fox analyst struggled at times during his rookie season with the network, but seems to have improved in recent weeks as he’s gotten more comfortable. And many expect him to shine in the Super Bowl, where he’s excelled in the spotlight so many times in the past.

This is what Fox had in mind when it signed the legendary quarterback to a 10-year, $375 million broadcast deal. Many industry analysts criticized the deal when it was announced in 2022.

Two years later, that’s still a huge sum. The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand talked with Brad Zager, Fox Sports’ president of production and operations, to answer the question: “Why is Tom Brady worth $375 million to Fox?”

Zager helped bring Brady aboard in 2022.

“We work in a multibillion-dollar business,” Zager told Marchand. “We make decisions every day where value comes from and where to spend that money and get that value. The moment that Tom was available, the importance of the NFL to any media company right now has always been high and probably never higher. What Tom brings with his ability to get sponsors and clients, everybody is motivated to be a part of this brand.”

Marchand pointed out that the shuffling of high-profile announcers in recent years had driven up salaries. And Joe Buck and Troy Aikman’s departure from Fox to ESPN in March 2022 left the NFL on Fox lacking star power in the booth.

“We felt like to not ask the question, to not see if you can bring Tom Brady into your network and your brand, would’ve been us not doing our jobs properly,” Zager said.

Zager told The Ringer in 2024 he and fellow Fox executive Eric Shanks knew they were throwing the equivalent of a “Hail Mary” when they first met the legendary quarterback. They were “trying to convince Brady … to take a job he’d never shown interest in.”

Zager said Brady offers immediate credibility in his role.

“We are dealing with the craziness of this generational announcer shift in our industry, and I think you start with credibility and with people that you think can bring something to the brand and the broadcast that nobody else can, and I don’t know if there is anybody that can do that more than Tom Brady, if you’re putting together that list,” Zager said.

“There is only one Tom Brady out there,” one rival TV network executive told Marchand.

Marchand pointed out Fox realized Brady’s potential impact on ratings would be negligible. “Since the overall NFL ratings would be the same if it were Tom Brady, Greg Brady or Jan Brady, the idea of going cheaper made some sense,” Marchand said.

“Cheaper,” in this case, would have meant Fox sticking with Greg Olsen, who had earned rave reviews for his work with Fox’s No. 1 team.

But Fox wanted not just Brady, the analyst, but Brady, the icon, and Brady, the brand. Marchand said Fox reports his presence has helped secure new sponsors. He’s done promotions for Fox Sports’ college football and its IndyCar coverage and handed out the trophy for the UFL Championship last year. Fox co-owns that football league.

“The credibility that that gave that league at that moment, I’ll let others put whatever value they want,” Zager said.

Add it all up, and that $375 million over 10 years suddenly doesn’t sound too bad.

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.