Tom Brady has plans to broadcast for FOX in 2024 after his illustrious career with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, New York Post writer Andrew Marchand does not see it happening.
Marchand particularly noted that he doesn’t believe Brady “wants to travel that much” after talking with people close to Brady. Wanting to minimize travel could also impact whether or not Brady unretires a second-straight year to play in the NFL again.
Brady, 45, retired from his 23-year NFL career in February to focus on his family. Brady previously landed a 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX in 2022 to broadcast NFL games after his playing career, but he opted to wait until 2024 instead of this year.
“It fluctuates. It was at 51% he’s going to do it to 49%, with the reasoning, it’s so much money, he’ll try it for a year,” Marchand said about Brady joining FOX during “The Marchand & Ourand Sports Media Podcast” on Wednesday, May 3.
“However, I talked to a couple people, recently, close to Brady. And I kind of feel like I’m going more 49% chance he does it, 51% chance he doesn’t. I don’t think he wants to travel that much. Obviously, he’s going to go private,” Marchand added.
“And Brady’s a guy if he’s in, he’s all in, so he’s not going to be showing up day of games like Joe Buck and [Troy] Aikman do sometimes. He’s going to be there early if he’s going to do it. So it’s going to be a four-day event. Again, cry me a river, for that type of money for five and a half months. But he shares kids with Gisele Bündchen. I think that’s very important to him, and he can make money elsewhere,” Marchand continued.
Tom Brady’s FOX Future Has Been Questioned Before
Marchand isn’t the first to question if Brady really will broadcast with FOX. ESPN’s Joe Buck, formerly with FOX, questioned it during the 2022 season during an appearance on the “SI Media” podcast with Jimmy Traina.
“Is there a chance? Yeah, I think there’s a chance. Who knows where his family life takes him, who knows if he plays one more year or he doesn’t. I know there are people at FOX who would say there’s a chance that he doesn’t call a game there,” Buck told Traina.
If Brady turns it down, he would turn down a contract that eclipses his NFL career earnings. He made $332.96 million between 20 seasons with the Patriots from 2000 to 2019 and the Bucs from 2020 to 2022 per Spotrac.
One Tom Brady Comeback Possibility Involves the Least Travel
Amid Brady’s rumored wish to limit travel, based on Marchand’s comments, only one team would offer the least amount of travel.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon floated a Brady comeback to the Miami Dolphins as a possibility. Brady resides in Miami with two of his children part-time. He also didn’t say no to joining the Dolphins when asked at a recent tech conference in Miami as Gagnon noted.
“Now, the Dolphins’ job might not be open if [Tua] Tagovailoa is indeed good to go despite concerns over concussions,” Gagnon wrote. “We’ve learned by now never to say never with Brady.”
