Unlike the rest of America, Jim Nantz didn’t tune in to watch Tom Brady’s debut on Fox.
It’s not because they’re on rival networks; the lead CBS play-by-play voice has been quite honest about how much help he’s given to Brady over the past year or so. But instead, Nantz and Tony Romo were on the call for Las Vegas Raiders-Los Angeles Chargers in the same window that Brady and Kevin Burkhardt were on the mic for Dallas Cowboys-Cleveland Browns.
But even if Nantz did watch, he’d think the criticism is unwarranted and unfair. Nantz isn’t going to go back and watch Brady’s debut; he has enough on his plate, but he’ll tune in for much as Brady’s second go-round as he can, as CBS’s A-Team will be in the 4:25 ET window again come Week 2.
“I would’ve liked to have heard him, but I’ll look forward to hearing him down the road,” said Nantz during a recent appearance on What the Football with Suzy Shuster & Amy Trask. “I’ll hear him this week, in fact, because we’ve got the late game; he’s going to be up early. I’ve talked to Tom a lot leading into this season, and he has called on many broadcasters to get their insights and what it’s like in the booth, how to prepare, how fast the game moves.
“I know he’s going to be really good at this — I don’t have any doubt. I’m certainly not going to make any judgments without having seen him. And even if I did see him — which I didn’t — I wouldn’t draw any conclusions after one game. Tom Brady will be very good at this; I feel confident.”
Nantz didn’t feel he was in a position to critique Brady, having not watched the game himself. That should strike a chord with those in sports media who often weigh in on games they did not watch, but that’s beside the point.
In any event, Nantz’s support for Brady mirrors Joe Buck’s stance that it’s unfair to evaluate a new broadcaster after only one game. As a broadcasting veteran with experience working with former quarterbacks (Romo and Phil Simms), Nantz’s backing lends credibility to Brady’s potential, whether you agree he’s a work-in-progress or not.
