A prominent ESPN writer raised a new concern Sunday about Tom Brady as a broadcaster.
His voice.
Three games into his NFL broadcasting career, Brady has earned mixed reviews from fans and media critics. While Brady seemed more comfortable calling the Baltimore Ravens-Dallas Cowboys game, ESPN senior writer Don Van Natta Jr. dropped an X post midway through the matchup sharing his concerns.
“Tom Brady’s problem— and ours— is his voice,” Van Natta wrote. “No matter how much his commentary might improve, Brady’s delivery system teeters between mildly annoying to nails-on-a-chalkboard.
“It doesn’t help he’s paired with Kevin Burkhardt, whose magisterial voice is made for a microphone.
Tom Brady’s problem— and ours— is his voice.
No matter how much his commentary might improve, Brady’s delivery system teeters between mildly annoying to nails-on-a-chalkboard.
It doesn’t help he’s paired with Kevin Burkhardt, whose magisterial voice is made for a microphone.
— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) September 22, 2024
The “nails-on-a-chalkboard” analogy is certainly a new twist in dissecting Brady’s performance in the NFL on Fox booth. Thus far in his young broadcasting career he’s been advised to stop being “Captain Obvious”; to “loosen up a little bit“; and to work on his cadence and delivery.
But Brady’s voice itself hasn’t really come into question. A few fans agreed with Van Natta’s post, and some even suggested Brady’s voice could benefit from some tweaking in the Fox production truck.
My husband said the same. They should tweak his levels, increase the lower tones. It’s done all the time. It weird they didn’t do it from the beginning.
— Chelle B (@dizzyjudge) September 22, 2024
They need to raise the volume on his mic slightly and he needs to learn breathing for singers/actors as his voice goes up when he gets excited by a play. Kevin does have a beautiful voice.
— sussexroyal_NOT (@NotSussexroyal) September 22, 2024
In terms of previous criticism of Brady, one common theme is that he didn’t share enough personal insight. He had one notable incident Sunday when he talked about how he felt when the New England Patriots’ faced a 28-3 deficit in Super Bowl LI. Coincidentally, that happened right before the Cowboys rallied from a 28-6 deficit, although they lost, 28-25.
Tom Brady spots this shirt at the Dallas Cowboy game and tells a story about that legendary comeback. #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/WjKdRiBGEi
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) September 22, 2024
Three weeks in, Brady has improved in some areas, including toning down the “obvious” commentary angles. Yet he remains a work in progress, about what you’d expect from a rookie in his profession.