"I’m anxious to see" - Joe Buck explains biggest challenge for Tom Brady in broadcasting career
Tom Brady is, at last, officially done playing in the NFL.
But that does not mean he is leaving the league entirely.
In the middle of last season, it was announced that the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback would be joining Fox as its no. 1 NFL analyst. However, as he revealed on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd", Brady will not start calling games for the network until 2024, allowing him to hone his new craft in the meantime.
And speaking of Fox, former no. 1 play-by-play announcer Joe Buck, who now does Monday Night Football for ESPN, has shared his thoughts on Brady's future foray into broadcasting.
Speaking to Barrett Sports Media, Buck recalled a conversation he and broadcast partner Troy Aikman had with Brady before the Wild Card game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in which, among other things, Brady asked Buck and Aikman for future help on broadcasting. Buck agreed that Brady could use said help.
“I would do [that] in a heartbeat with all the help he’s given us over the years,” Buck said of Brady. “….There’s going to be a bit of a learning curve for Tom. I expect him to do it and do it well, but it’s a weird kind of thing to do. There’s a bit of acting involved. It’s a presentation as much as just knowing football. I’m sure he’ll be great, but I’m anxious to see.”
While fans of the NFL and more particularly Brady will be disappointed at not being able to hear his voice this upcoming season, the yearlong wait may be worth it, as color commentary involves showcasing one's personality as much as knowledge of the sport. Here is hoping he excels at his new profession.
How did Joe Buck end up in the ESPN booth?
In the same interview, Buck also expounded on his switch to ESPN.
Before 2022, he was among the longest-tenured broadcasters in the NFL, having called 20 straight NFC Championship games and 6 Super Bowls. Buck also called the 2023 World Series and 2021 All-Star Games as Fox's primary MLB play-by-play.
But Fox declined to renew partner Troy Aikman's contract after the 2021 season, and soon thereafter, the former face of the Dallas Cowboys joined ESPN. Buck then faced two options: either stay with a new analyst or reunite with Aikman. He chose the latter, amicably leaving Fox with a year left in his contract.
Discussing the move, he said:
“I think everybody got what they wanted. I think FOX got a reset – they have two new booths that I’m sure they really like – and I have the same partner at a new place on a new night with a property [that] I grew up knowing how special it was: Monday Night Football. It’s like one of those great sports trades that works out for everybody.”