Recently retired Tom Brady is delaying his career as a FOX broadcaster until the fall of 2024.
From NFL Now: Tom Brady told @ColinCowherd that he will start his career as a Fox broadcaster in 2024. pic.twitter.com/513SmM3ux8
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 6, 2023
The 45-year-old quarterback agreed to a 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX Sports in May 2022 to be the network’s top NFL analyst “straight after his playing career.”
However, during an interview Monday with Colin Cowherd on FS1’s “The Herd,” Brady said he won’t see him in the FOX broadcast booth until 2024.
.@TomBrady tells @ColinCowherd on @FS1 that he will start his television career with FOX in the fall of 2024. pic.twitter.com/rckDnIVeQO
— Herd with Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) February 6, 2023
“For me, I want to be great at what I do,” Brady said. “Talking to the people at FOX Sports and the leadership there, allowing me to start my FOX opportunity in the fall of 2024 is a great thing for me.”
Brady’s announcement is a bit of a surprise, as many assumed he would start his broadcast job as soon as possible after retiring from the NFL “for good” last week. But the seven-time Super Bowl champion insisted he wanted another year to prepare for his new job.
“(I want to) take time to really learn, be great at what I do, get great at thinking about the opportunity and make sure I don’t rush anything,” Brady said.
Brady also said he looks forward to “catching up with other parts of my life that need some time and energy,” which could be a nod to his desire to spend more time with his family in retirement. Brady has a son and a daughter with his ex-wife, Gisele Bundchen, and a third child from a previous relationship.
While Brady is supposed to take over as FOX Sports’ lead NFL analyst when he joins the booth, former Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen has been terrific in that role along with the No. 1 broadcaster. play-by-play Kevin Burkhardt.
If Burkhardt and Olsen continue to thrive as FOX’s top broadcast team in 2023, it will be interesting to see if Brady still assumes the No. 1 analyst role or slots elsewhere.
