Tom Brady might have dominated the football field, but it could take a while for the seven-time Super Bowl champion to find his footing in the broadcast booth.
Brady made his debut as Fox Sports’ lead color commentator alongside Kevin Burkhardt on Sunday, September 8, calling the action for the Dallas Cowboys vs. Cleveland Browns game at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland. However, the reaction to Brady’s commentary was mixed, to say the least.
Some viewers complained that the former New England Patriots quarterback sometimes sounded awkward and clunky. That awkwardness was perhaps best encapsulated when Brady went to give a fist bump to Fox Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira and was left hanging.
“Don’t leave me hanging,” Brady said before Pereira eventually noticed the gesture and returned the bump.
Mike Pereira and Tom Brady’s first booth interaction could have gone a little smoother… pic.twitter.com/RmJYFF1qQj— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 8, 2024
“I don’t know how else to say it but Tom Brady does not have a voice that is meant to be heard without seeing his face,” wrote one viewer on X (formerly Twitter).
“Tom Brady can’t seem to form any sentences that have any sort of normal cadence to them,” said another.
Another joked, “Tom Brady ain’t stuttered this much since he told Gisele he got one more year in him.”
“I don’t want to overreact to week 1 but Tom Brady is the worst announcer in the NFL,” added another.
“Maybe someone should have listened to Tom Brady actually say words before dropping $300 million on him,” wrote one fan.
“Finally, something Tom Brady f***ing sucks at,” quipped another.
However, others came to Brady’s defense. When one fan called his commentary “absolutely atrocious,” another replied, “Bro. It’s day one.”
“He’ll get better cause he cares,” said another.
“Maybe he’s nervous? Everybody’s had a 1st day at school and work. I’m gonna give him grace until after Week 3,” added one viewer.
“I think he’ll improve, his voice is a little bit high pitched but I actually think he’ll be ok after some more reps,” another said.
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Another added, “Brady will grow into it. I actually like his unobtrusive style.”
“I’m pretty critical of announcing and I think he is doing about average. He definitely doesn’t need to spout out “oohs” and “ahhhs” but overall he is doing ok,” said another.
Brady played for over 20 years in the NFL before retiring after the 2022 season as what many regard as the greatest quarterback of all time. That same year, he signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox Sports.
What did you think to Brady’s commentary debut? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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