After conquering the NFL throughout his playing days, the next chapter of Tom Brady’s career began on Sunday afternoon.
The greatest quarterback of all time made his broadcasting debut during Sunday’s UFL Championship Game, and the football world saw Brady in his new element for the first time.
How Did Tom Brady Fare in His Broadcasting Debut?
Fox Sports is rolling out the red carpet for their newest NFL analyst, and part of that plan is to get Brady in front of the masses in his new role.
The first glimpse of that played out on Sunday in the final game of the inaugural UFL season, where the Birmingham Stallions and the San Antonio Brahamas met with a title on the line.
The 🐐 made his FOX debut in the booth during the inaugural UFL Championship Game 🎙️
Can't wait to see more of @TomBrady in the booth this fall 🔥 pic.twitter.com/85WxxE9xRc
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) June 17, 2024
Brady joined Curt Menefee and Joel Klatt for a brief period during the action. The veteran duo introduced their new teammate and gave him a chance to talk about football like very few can.
Menefee asked Brady about the on-field action and what it’s like playing for a title, and Brady answered in a way that only someone with his experience can.
“In a championship game, sometimes teams can be a little tight, and it looks like that may be the case right here,” Menefee stated.
“They’re all a little different,” Brady started. “You get into these games, and there’s a lot of defense out there right now. The defense goes out and plays with a lot of energy, but someone has to get the ball down the field and try to open the field up a little bit.
“It’s been a lot of horizontal passes, and the defenses are swarming and trying to punch the ball out. Make them defend every blade of grass is what we used to say.”
What Did We Learn About Brady’s Broadcasting?
It was only a brief glimpse of what NFL fans can expect from the legend come this fall. And even though it was a small sample size, it’s clear that Brady is going to be able to provide context and a viewpoint that will be truly unique.
Naturally growing pains should be expected, as talking football with friends and colleagues is a vastly different dynamic than trying to explain action in the moment to millions on national television.
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However, given how Brady prepares for his professional life, the idea that he could step in and be well-suited for the upcoming challenge shouldn’t be foreign to him.
Having arguably the greatest football player of all time in the booth for big-time games each week will bring a different element for the viewers, who will get a glimpse inside the mind of a legend.
How Did Fans React to Brady’s Debut?
The one thing about dominating the NFL — and breaking the hearts of fans for almost a quarter century — is that fans don’t soon forget that.
Just ask the St. Louis faithful in attendance for Sunday’s game as they welcomed Brady to his new gig with a showering of boos.
Loud boos for Tom Brady presenting the UFL Championship game MVP at the Dome in St. Louis. We haven’t forgotten about Spygate 20 years later #UFL pic.twitter.com/kC3BcOiCyp
— St. Louis Chatter (@RealSTLChatter) June 17, 2024
Brady famously beat the then-St. Louis Rams, a team dubbed the “Greatest Show on Turf,” manned by the likes of Kurt Warner, Issac Bruce, and Marshall Faulk, in Super Bowl XXXVI 20-17. That was over 23 years ago, and even though the Rams no longer reside in Missouri, those fans have a wound that will never heal.
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Outside of that “warm” reception, Brady’s performance didn’t warrant much negative reaction from fans. While it’s too early to say how he will fare in his new role, it seems at least early on, it will be scorned fans letting Brady know how they feel about the GOAT.