Tom Brady says he’s ‘more comfortable than ever’ as a broadcaster

The fascinating thing about seeing Tom Brady tackle his first two seasons in the NFL on Fox broadcast booth is that, unlike most legendary former athletes, Brady actually does know what it’s like to struggle.

Way back in our first review of Brady the broadcaster, we likened the seven-time Super Bowl champion’s disjointed performance in the booth to his first season as the quarterback of the New England Patriots.

Turns out, Brady saw it very similarly. And he leaned on the same mindset and plan of action that he believes turned him from a sixth-round pick out of Michigan to arguably the greatest player in the history of the NFL.

In the latest edition of his 199 newsletter (named for the spot he was drafted), Brady opened up on his growing pains early on at Fox and how he overcame them. Apparently, it all comes back to what Brady calls “self-sufficiency.”

“In the booth, I wanted to be quicker, more incisive. I wanted to feel more comfortable. I wanted to feel better at picking my spots and knocking it out of the park with just enough of the most useful information at the right time,” Brady wrote.

Practically speaking, Brady wrote that he watched his broadcasts back, canvassed the industry for advice, and adjusted his preparation. But the bigger key to unlocking his best in the booth, Brady wrote, is that he made himself uncomfortable and put in the work.

“I always believe, as I’ve said before, that growth happens outside of your comfort zone,” Brady added. “So if I wanted to grow and become a better broadcaster, I had to go outside my own comfort zone. I had to try new things, find new approaches, seek out different advice, and watch others who I admire. That’s simply what it has taken to figure this job out, so that is what my process has been all about.”

While we wrote early this season that Brady was now “just another broadcaster,” the former Patriot and Buccaneer has taken advantage of a strong slate of games down the stretch of the season to earn praise for his work alongside Kevin Burkhardt on Fox. O.G. Fox Sports producer Richie Zyontz recently said that Brady is “excellent right now.”

Of course, Brady also cannot escape the shadow of his conflict of interest as a part owner and unofficial front office executive for the Las Vegas Raiders, even as he insists it does not affect how he approaches either role.

Evaluating himself in the newsletter, Brady wrote that he has done “pretty well” in his efforts to improve:

“Going into the Bills-Eagles game this past weekend, with a week left in the regular season, I’m feeling more comfortable than ever and I’ve grown in ways that I didn’t think were possible. And it’s thanks, in no small part, to the fact that I’m confident in what I’m doing, and I’m doing it with people I really care about, who are awesome at their jobs, too.”

Brady called a Super Bowl in his rookie season as a broadcaster, just as he made (and won) the Super Bowl in his first season as a starting quarterback. But just like his NFL career, Brady believes his best is yet to come.