Everyone knew Tom Brady would face a learning curve in his first season as Fox Sports’ lead NFL analyst.
Probably no one guessed that part of that process would involve Brady learning how to get to the broadcast booth without being stopped by players, coaches and others who just want to chat and even take pictures with the legendary quarterback.
Brady’s partner, veteran play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt, appeared recently on the Calm Down podcast to share his thoughts on Brady and other issues.
Burkhardt told podcast hosts Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson he was surprised by the attention Brady attracted during an Aug. 11 game at SoFi Stadium. Burkhardt, Brady and the rest of the Fox Sports crew were on hand to do a test broadcast during the Dallas Cowboys-Los Angeles Rams game. Brady and Burkhardt were still on the field a mere 15 minutes before the game, as the future Hall of Famer kept getting stopped by people. They didn’t even get a chance to speak to the game’s quarterbacks, a common pregame function.
“Going to the field is going to require like an extra three hours. It is like a circus just going down,” Burkhardt recalled. “We were in LA doing a practice game, and it took us 40 minutes just to get down to the elevator just to the corner of the end zone. I had to take a [picture] of he and Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs on the middle of the field. It’s wild.”
Tom Brady is in the building for his test run on the FOX broadcast today before his TV debut in week one for Cowboys-Browns pic.twitter.com/np9sKHikZa
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) August 11, 2024
Obviously, players — and Brady — will be more focused during the regular season.
“That is definitely a learning experience,” Burkhardt said. “We’re going to take a little more time to go down on the field earlier … but he actually enjoyed it.”
Burkhardt thinks the fact so many players and coaches want to talk with Brady bodes well for his preparation.
“So I think that’s going to be fun on game day just walking around with him and players want to talk to him and give him some information,” he said.
Plenty of sports media and NFL insiders have predicted Brady will excel in his new role. Burkhardt has been impressed with Brady’s willingness to learn. He admitted being hesitant earlier this year in correcting Brady, regarded by many as the GOAT quarterback, perhaps player, in NFL history.
Those concerns got put to rest quickly after Burkhardt talked to Brady.
“Like I know you don’t know me well yet, but … can I tell you if something sucks or whatever?” Burkhardt said he asked Brady. “He’s like, “Yes, like please tell me, like coach me up.’
“He just wants to be great, he wants to be better. And I think that’s been the really fun part.”
Brady will make his NFL analyst debut when the Cowboys play the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.
