3 ways FOX Sports won their own Super Bowl by landing Tom Brady as the face of their NFL coverage
Tom Brady has had quite the eventful NFL offseason and it is still early in May. He first announced his retirement at the conclusion of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playoffs run. He then unretired 40 days later. Let's not forget the rumors about him heading to the Miami Dolphins as a player and part-owner.
But perhaps the biggest Brady storyline of all dropped Monday when it was announced that FOX Sports was signing him to a 10-year, $375 million deal. The kicker is that it begins whenever he decides to retire, which could be 2023 or even several years from now.
This is a coup for the network and is bigger than any rights negotiation or battle. Here are three perks from signing the legendary quarterback:
#1 - Massive ratings on curiosity alone
Think ahead to the first game the quarterback broadcasts. This is going to be appointment viewing for football fans all over the world. It may be best if CBS just skips an important game that week.
FOX's first year with Brady is going to provide huge ratings just because of his star power. FOX will add elite games to his slot and rake in cash from advertisers. If he ends up being great, like Tony Romo was right from the start, he alone will become a draw for fans.
#2 - Landing a legend
Romo was a talented quarterback, but he wasn't the superstar Brady is. Perhaps no one in league history has ever been.
The network has now locked up arguably the most accomplished player of all time to anchor their coverage for the foreseeable future. Many analysts are slowly pushed out after their stardom fades. Think of Phil Simms at CBS when Romo came in. But Brady? He is the Michael Jordan of football and fans of all ages will tune in to hear his wisdom for decades to come.
#3 - More than a football commentator
FOX is not paying the quarterback $375 million just to talk about football. He will handle many duties for the network and may end up being the face of the corporation, at least from the sports side of things.
He already has his own business empire along with the TB12 brand, so this is not some new concept to him. He can take on a variety of roles and be on the ariwaves all year long, and not just in the fall. It will be interesting to see how he does. If all goes to plan for him, we can only speculate on how big his next contract might be.
Beforehand, he has a few scores to settle in the NFL. After losing in dramatic last-gasp fashion to future champions the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay are looking to bounce back and win their second Super Bowl in three years. It would be Brady's eighth during his career. This year is beginning to feel like his last in the league. Can the legendary quarterback mark the end of an era with one last Super Bowl?