Tom Brady's first day in the broadcast booth didn't inspire many fans. The former NFL quarterback stepped into the role alongside play-by-play teammate, Kevin Burkhardt, as part of the top FOX pairing for the Week 1 game between the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns.
We know that Brady is good at a lot of things - maybe everything - he has ever taken on. The whole broadcasting thing, though, didn't come as naturally for him according to some fans. His debut on the job drew mixed reviews, to say the least. This comes on the heels of a less-than-stellar soft launch earlier in the weekend.
"Maybe someone should have listened to Tom Brady actually say words before dropping $300 million on him," one user on X commented.
I don't want to overreact to week 1 but Tom Brady is the worst announcer in the NFL.
— Dr. Jamie Jakes (@jamjks) September 8, 2024
Another X user echoed a similar sentiment, "I've heard enough of Tom Brady, justice for Greg Olsen."
That comment in particular refers to the man that FOX demoted to bump Brady straight up to its top billing. Olsen was working alongside Burkhardt for two years and by all accounts, was doing a very good job in the position. When Brady retired, Olsen was sent to the No. 2 pairing without a second thought.
Photo by Nic Antaya for The Boston Globe via Getty Images
While much of the discourse on X was negative - not shocking, either, considering Brady was a thorn for many fanbase so there could be some bitterness there - others did offer him a leash to get better. One supporter on X wrote, "People being overly critical of Tom Brady's first day in the FOX booth are overreacting. He did a fine job. He didn't try too hard or make it about him. He will approach this like he approached his entire career. He will study and get better."
Say what you want but Tom Brady is actually doing a good job in the booth.
— Haley Taylor Simon (@Haleytsimon) September 8, 2024
"Tom Brady has worked ONE game," another supporter posted on X. "Give him a break, for goodness sake. Tony Romo was not built in one game."
We'll see how Brady continues to hone his craft with the headset as the season progresses. If there's one thing we learned about the Michigan product over the years, it's that he is willing to go the extra mile to get better. We'll see how that plays out in this scenario.
Related: Peyton Manning is Hoping Someone Breaks One of his Records Soon
