Joe Buck Skeptical of Tom Brady's Broadcasting Future
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman spent 20-seasons as the lead NFL broadcaster team for FOX.
After failing to reach an agreement to remain at the network with his contract expired, Aikman agreed to a massive deal, one that exceeds Tony Romo's 17.5M/year with CBS, to make the switch over to ESPN to become the lead analyst for Monday Night Football.
Meanwhile, Joe Buck, who still had a year left on his deal with FOX at the time, was granted a release from his contract so that he could follow suit.
The two have since picked up right where they left off at FOX, but now they're covering the illustrious Monday Night Football matchup together each week on ESPN.
FOX was quick to announce Kevin Burkhardt, an excellent play-by-play broadcaster in his own right, as Buck's replacement as the network's lead game-caller.
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Not long after, FOX sent shockwaves throughout the sports media landscape when it was announced that current Buccaneers' quarterback, Tom Brady, had agreed to a ground-breaking 10-year, $375 million contract to become the network's next in-game analyst, alongside Burkhardt, once he retires.
Recently, Joe Buck spoke with Jimmy Traina as a guest on the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast, where he discussed the Brady-FOX situation. In doing so, it becomes obvious that Buck is very skeptical of Brady's future as an NFL broadcaster.
Traina, who had speculated back in January that Brady could be under consideration to replace Aikman at FOX, wanted to re-visit that prediction that has since come to fruition -- at least on paper.
Buck was dismissive of the idea when it was first suggested, so I think Traina was hoping for some sort of acknowledgement in this recent interview, when he confidently proclaimed, "Brady's at FOX now." To which Buck replied "Oh he is? Because he did a FIFA promo for the World Cup?".
Buck continues to explain why he has reservations when asked whether there's a chance that Brady walks away from the massive contract before it ever begins.
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"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."
Based on how unpredictable Brady's life has been these past few years, it's hard to criticize Buck for questioning the quarterback's decade-long commitment to a career as a TV broadcaster.
Or maybe Joe Buck is a little sour about the way his and Troy Aikman's role with FOX came to such an abrupt end.
Regardless, it sure seems like Tom Brady will have the opportunity to make a lot of money calling football games once his playing career comes to an end.
We can debate how he well-suited he is for that opportunity when the time comes.
But for now, there's not really a point. because as it stands, Tom Brady has plenty more touchdown passes to throw, and hopefully games to win, for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, first.
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