NFL News: Tom Brady to join Fox when he hangs up his boots
- Nick Krige
- 11 May 2022
Seven-time Super Bowl winner to become the highest-paid announcer in sports broadcasting history
NFL legend Tom Brady is set to join Fox Sports as lead analyst and announcer for its American football broadcast when he decides to retire.
The news was revealed by Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch on Tuesday during a corporate investor call.
Brady will join long-time Fox play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt in the commentary booth, although when exactly the partnership will officially begin has not been revealed.
While Murdoch did not disclose what the contract was worth, the New York Post has since reported that the seven-time Super Bowl star will earn $375-million over 10 years, making him the highest-paid announcer in sports broadcasting history.
"We are delighted that Tom has committed to joining the Fox team and wish him all the best during this upcoming season," Murdoch said.
Not retiring yet
However, there is the small matter that Brady has not yet retired and has at least one more season with the Buccaneers, something the star noted in his acknowledgement of Fox's announcement.
Excited, but a lot of unfinished business on the field with the @Buccaneers #LFG https://t.co/FwKlQp02Hi
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) May 10, 2022
Fox has reacted strongly to losing its top football announcers, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, to ESPN by promoting Burkhardt and pursuing Brady.
He isn't the first professional athlete to pursue a career in media after retirement but he's certainly unique in doing so before he's even officially hung up his boots for good.
Doing it Tom Brady's way
Bucs' offensive coordinator praised Brady for his forward-thinking and likened it to the way he plays the game.
"I think that's excellent," he said. "It's crazy when you're 45, you have to think of your next job when you're still playing football, right? You have to do this early, right?
"But it's the way he sees football. That's what I love. That's what makes our relationship unique - the way he sees football. I love the way he sees football. It's similar to the way I saw it.
"He's a football junkie and he has an interesting perspective of this position, and I think it would be great for everyone to hear that everyone to hear it, to see/hear how he's wired, the way that he sees football because we're talking about the best ever, right?
"The fact that you get the best ever to play the quarterback position, have an opportunity to listen to him talk about football - a year from now, two years from now, three years from now - is a great thing."
