For over two decades, Tom Brady dominated the NFL as a player, winning seven Super Bowls and cementing himself as the greatest quarterback of all time.
Now, as he transitions into his rookie season as a broadcaster, all eyes are once again on him-this time from the Fox Sports booth.
Brady‘s most significant assignment yet comes this Sunday as he prepares to call Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. However, his first season in broadcasting has not been without challenges, and even he admits that the journey has been anything but smooth.
Brady’s honest reflection
During a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, Brady addressed the ups and downs of his debut season in the booth, acknowledging that he has made “plenty of mistakes” but has used each one as a learning experience.
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“I think the mistakes that I’ve made, and I’ve made plenty, I’ve learned from all of them,” Brady said via Jimmy Traina of Sports Illustrated.
“You’re not happy they happen, but at the same time, you understand that when they do happen-and I mispronounce words or I forget a certain statistic or the preparation’s a little off in terms of my thoughts on something and I screw up the analysis-I go back and I want to get it right the next time. And without the mistakes, you don’t learn from them and apply them going forward.”
“All the mistakes I made, although I wish I didn’t make them, the fact that I can learn from them and move forward with a greater sense of awareness just allows you to improve.”
While Brady‘s football IQ is undeniable, his transition to broadcasting has been met with skepticism. Many in the sports media world questioned whether he was ready to be immediately placed on Fox’s top broadcast team alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
Some of the biggest criticisms have centered around his on-air presence, with detractors pointing out that he lacks the natural charisma of seasoned broadcasters like Tony Romo or Troy Aikman.
Brady acknowledged that he has heard the outside noise and understands the weight of expectations placed upon him.
“Naturally, you hear different things on social media and such,” Brady said.
“All I’m trying to do is deliver for the fans. They’re the ones we’re trying to serve and I’m trying to elevate the game the best way I can. I tried to do that as a player by doing things the right way. I was just using my body to do that. Now I’ve gotta use and articulate through my words to do it.”
