Tony Romo has been in Tom Brady’s shoes before.
The NFL on CBS analyst has already been asked about his former counterpart a time or two, pointing out that the 7-time Super Bowl Champion will exhaust almost every resource and avenue to dominate broadcasting. Romo made those comments knowing full well that he and Brady will forever be compared to one another in the booth—and it’s started already.
During a CBS Mornings segment with the network’s top NFL broadcast team, Gayle King suggested that if she were Brady, she’d be seeking out advice and taking notes from Romo. Well, according to Tracy Wolfson, Brady — to no one’s surprise — has already made those overtures.
Romo offered a supportive response.
“We all know Tom well,” said Romo. “You gotta remember, Jim’s done the most Tom Brady football of anyone (in broadcasting) — literally over 100. I think it’s great. I think it’s great for the industry that people want to go into this position and these roles. I think you find that the NFL has that grab. This was not always that, but Troy Aikman, I felt like really started this. Now, it’s part of possibly an arc in your career.
“But, Tom’s gonna do great. He’s working as hard as anybody.”
Tony Dokoupil did ask Romo if he had any advice for the soon-to-be NFL on Fox broadcaster before being cut off by King, who essentially shared that they shouldn’t be giving any advice to the competition—Fox. Romo was unable to answer the question, as he offered a polite smile, and Nate Burleson changed the subject.
It remains to be seen if Brady can replicate the immediate acclaim that made Romo a standout in the broadcast booth. Given his unparalleled playing career, there’s potential for Brady to surpass Romo’s impact and do so almost immediately.
But it’s worth remembering that public perception can be fickle.
Romo experienced a meteoric rise after taking over for Phil Simms at CBS. With his uncanny ability to anticipate plays, he redefined the role of the color commentator. His performance in games like the 2018 AFC Championship became a benchmark for NFL analysis.
However, criticism of Romo’s commentary has somewhat overshadowed the anticipation surrounding former players in the booth. But it doesn’t seem to have that same effect on arguably the greatest player to ever play his position. Romo’s experience since joining CBS would undoubtedly be a valuable resource for Brady to navigate the challenges and rewards of the job, but it appears Brady is determined to achieve similar greatness as a broadcaster as he did as a player.
