After announcing his first retirement in 2022, Tom Brady signed a 10-year $375 million deal with Fox Sports to be a broadcaster and call NFL games. Since he came back to play the following season, his deal stalled and officially became active once he retired again in 2023.
Brady started calling games for Fox this year and has received mixed responses from viewers and fans. Skip Bayless, one of the biggest Brady supporters in the world, has not been impressed by the legendary quarterback in the booth and has some concerns about his ability to call games well.
Skip Bayless Has Doubts About Tom Brady Being a Good Broadcaster
In a recent segment on “The Skip Bayless Show,” the former “Undisputed” host said that Brady wants to be seen as a nice guy, and due to this, he isn’t expressing his real thoughts on the games.
Bayless also believes that, due to officially being a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, Brady will be restricted from saying things that he could have said had he not been a franchise owner.
“He’s in there, that raider Brady, that pirate is in there. That gangster is in there, but he’s not going to come out on broadcast because Tom still wants to be seen as a really nice guy,” Bayless said. “I don’t think he’ll ever be better than average [as a] broadcaster, and I think he just sealed his fate by becoming an owner and gangstering Fox.
“That gangster is in there, but he’s not going to come out on broadcast”
.@realskipbayless says Tom Brady sealed his fate by becoming an NFL owner. pic.twitter.com/D3h8IVpx1W
— The Skip Bayless Show (@SkipBaylessShow) October 17, 2024
“He has resorted to babbling and babbling more and more as he tries harder and harder to be great at broadcasting, driving me crazy. Only once have I seen him let his hair down, so to speak, as a broadcaster.”
Brady will call the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs this week. However, now that he is an official owner of the Raiders, the NFL has imposed various restrictions on Brady that will likely worsen his performance as a broadcaster.
A Look Into the Regulations Against Brady
Here is a list of things that Brady is restricted from as an announcer for Fox Sports:
- Subject to the NFL’s anti-tampering policy
- Not permitted to be in another team’s facility
- Subject to the NFL’s gambling policy
- Not permitted to attend broadcast production meetings, either in person or virtually
- Not permitted to witness practice
- Prohibited from publicly criticizing game officials and other clubs
As mentioned earlier, these guidelines will negatively impact Brady’s performance in the booth. He is a dedicated learner and will eventually improve as a broadcaster, but being unable to attend meetings and criticize teams or referees will limit his potential.
Commitment to Excellence @Raiders pic.twitter.com/GS0WwHkAtz
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) October 15, 2024
Per Forbes, the Raiders are currently valued at $6.7 billion. As their owner, Brady will be tasked with helping the team get back on track.Â
Shedeur Sanders‘ name has been linked with the AFC West franchise, as he and Brady have a good relationship. The Raiders are currently 2-4 and will likely have a high draft pick next year.
That said, in our latest mock draft here at Pro Football Network, we have the Raiders selecting 10th and picking Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan.
PFN Analyst Owain Jones writes, “At 6’5” and 210 pounds, Tetairoa McMillan is a rare, elite receiving option. The Arizona wide receiver’s large catch radius allows him to catch balls away from his body, which is not probable for most receivers, but it doesn’t come at the expense of explosiveness.
TETAIROA. MCMILLAN. WHAT. A. CATCH. @TMAC96795 🤯🤯🤯
đź“ş: Pac-12 Network pic.twitter.com/EMGwmKPrYX
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) September 17, 2023
“The former five-star recruit is a true X receiver and has drawn comparisons to Mike Evans from College Football Network’s Cam Mellor. With short-area quickness, route-running nuances, and a varied route tree, the Wildcats’ WR is cementing himself as one of the top wideouts in the 2025 NFL Draft.”
For analysis on all the first-round picks, head on over to our October 2024 Mock Draft.