Phil Simms Questions Patriots Legend Tom Brady's TV Career: ‘Worth It?’
Tom Brady is used to proving doubters wrong. It appears that a fellow member of the Super Bowl MVP brotherhood is on track to be one of the nex silenced.
Speaking with Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, Simms talked about the New England Patriot legend's long-discussed, long-awaited ...and long-delayed ... foray into sports broadcasting. Brady's most recent and seemingly final, retirement from NFL football in February allowed him to be able to finally accept the record-setting $375 million contract Fox Sports offered him in May 2022. He has, however, opted for a year off instead, which has only fueled the idea that he's not fully done with putting on shoulder pads instead of a tie on NFL Sundays.
Brady's Fox deal would have him calling the network's biggest games, including the Super Bowl (the next Fox Super Bowl is the 59th edition in 2025). Simms, however, just can't see Brady reducing himself to a broadcast booth.
“I’ve got to see it, or hear it, to believe it,” Simms said “I don’t know. I just can’t picture Tom Brady up there announcing games. You know why? He’s Tom Brady. He’s just bigger than life. In this day and age, is it worth it for him?"
Simms, the MVP of Super Bowl XXI, has perhaps witnessed more big Brady games, particularly in New England, than anyone: Simms was CBS' lead color commentator during Brady's Foxboro heyday, calling all his Super Bowl XXXVIII victory over Carolina and but one of his 13 AFC title game appearances.
The former New York Giant believes that while Brady will eventually grace Fox's airwaves, he won't succeed Simms in the role he held both at CBS and NBC.
"I think they’ll use him in different ways," Simms said. "I don’t care. I’m going to say he doesn’t do games. They’ll put him on a pregame show and let him talk a little.
"There are lots of ways to use him. He’s Tom Brady," Simmss continued. “He looks good and he knows a lot of football, that’s for sure. So yes, I think they’ll use him in a different way. I don’t have any insight, and I don’t even care. But I’ll be surprised if he does games. I will be."
Only adding to the Brady confusion is the breakout broadcasting season of former NFL tight end Greg Olsen, who received positive reviews (including one from Simms) in his first year as Fox's lead color man, a run that included on-air duties for February's Super Bowl between Kansas City and Philadelphia.
While Simms was replaced in CBS' lead booth by Tony Romo in 2017, he has been a part of the network's studio coverage. Simms revealed in the same interview that while he likely will not return to the long-running "Inside the NFL" after the program's departure from Paramount+, he will partake in a new YouTube show alongside his son and fellow NFL alum Matt entitled "Simms Complete." Simms' elder son Chris currently serves as an analyst under the NBC Sports umbrella.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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