NFL fans fear that Tom Brady might sound too diplomatic as a broadcaster. However, Brady is concerned that he might be too critical.
After more than two years of speculation over how Brady will perform as a broadcaster for Fox, we are now less than three months away from hearing it when the retired quarterback calls his first regular season game alongside Kevin Burkhardt on Sept. 8. Before usurping the Boston Celtics with his New England Patriots Hall-of-Fame induction ceremony Wednesday night, Brady stopped by Jimmy Traina’s Sports Illustrated Media Podcast where he forecasted the type of broadcaster he expects to be.
“The important part for me will be how do I continue to just make it fun for people to enjoy the viewing experience,” Brady said. “Sometimes I get a little too serious because I see myself as ‘quarterback Tom Brady’ as opposed to ‘let’s enjoy a great game of football Tom Brady.’ Sometimes, I become a little too critical. So, I’m trying to make sure that I have the right tone. I was tough on my teammates…I was fiery and competitive. And I just want to make sure that doesn’t… I’m very specific of how I think the game should be played and I want to see the game evolve and grow.”
That is pretty much the opposite of the initial concerns surrounding Brady’s chops as an analyst when his deal with Fox was announced more than two years ago. This was a quarterback who, for more than two decades, displayed an ability to avoid saying anything polarizing or headline-worthy. On the surface, it sounds like someone who will make a boring broadcaster despite his fame and name recognition.
However, since retiring from the NFL, Brady has shown more willingness to be candid and personable. He did it on Stephen A. Smith’s podcast last year when he lamented the current state of the NFL’s product on the field. Brady showed candor and personality again more recently at his roast on Netflix. No one doubts Brady’s ability to analyze Xs and Os and see things on the football field before anyone else does, but whether he can present that entertainingly and interestingly remains the question.
“There’s a high expectation of how I expect the game to be played,” Brady told Traina. “There’s a certain expectation level that I see for really great performers, and I want to see these guys perform really well. But part of the contribution to make is how do I help other people be successful as well…what wisdom can I impart on the game, the people, coaches, refs, fans, that they can take from the things that I’ve learned and say, ‘Hey, this is gonna help me.'”
Amid concerns that Brady will be too boring in the booth, it’s very interesting to hear him claim he needs to temper his innate desire to be critical by putting a more positive spin on things. Brady previously compared his raw style as an analyst to Johnny Miller. And if Brady will be an NFL version of Johnny Miller, then he will probably be a hit with NFL fans. Thankfully, the speculation can end in less than three months when we finally get to see the balance Brady has been crafting as a broadcaster.
