Tom Brady announced that his time in the NFL was officially over when he retired from the game “for good” on Feb. 1.
It seems like it will be a while before we see him in the broadcast booth as well.
Brady revealed in an appearance on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd that he would not be a part of Fox’s broadcasts until the Fall of 2024. He credited the network for being patient with him as he transitions to his new role.
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“It’s something that’s great for me,” Brady said. “So, [I’ll] take some time to really learn, become great at what I want to do become great at, thinking about the opportunity and making sure I’m not rushing into anything.”
.@TomBrady tells @ColinCowherd on @FS1 that he will start his broadcast career with FOX in the Fall of 2024. pic.twitter.com/rckDnIVeQO
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) February 6, 2023
So, that means that Brady will not participate in Fox’s Super Bowl coverage for 2023. He even revealed that he would be watching the broadcast closely and paying 50 percent of his attention to the efforts of play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt and analyst Greg Olsen.
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Brady wanted to make it clear that doesn’t mean he is second-guessing his decision to go into broadcasting. More so, he wants to take time now to make sure he will be ready for the job, both professionally and personally.
The one thing about my career, whether it was when I was drafted by the Patriots or signing in free agency with the Bucs, I wanted to be fully committed and I never wanted to let people down. I think my biggest motivator was that.
Even in the future, I want to be great at what I do, and that always takes some time and strategizing and learning and growing and evolving. I have so many people to rely on that can support me in that work too. So, it’s going to be a great opportunity for me to take some time to really become [good] at my Fox broadcasting job — which I’m really looking forward to — but also catching up on other parts of my life that need some time and energy.
Brady didn’t elaborate on what aspects of his life he was considering. He could be looking to spend more time with his three children after years of being unavailable for large swaths due to football-related events.
Too, it’s worth noting that Brady went through a divorce with his long-time partner, Gisele Bundchen, during the 2022 NFL season. So, perhaps he is still adjusting to that major life change.
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Whatever the reason, Brady knows that it will be critical for him to get a reset as he enters the next chapter of his career.
“Decompression is important,” Brady said. “You’re on this kind of really crazy treadmill-slash-hamster-wheel for a long time, loving the moment, loving the journey during it. [At the] same time, it’s a daily fight.”
Now, Brady will get a break from that daily fight and start a new one as he prepares to transition to TV in 2024.
“I have an appreciation for so many people that are so committed every day to showing up to put their max effort into their life and their career,” he said. “I want to be great at what I do.”