Tom Brady reveals why he didn't "jump right into" $375,000,000 broadcasting job with Fox after retirement
Before he retired from the NFL, Tom Brady signed a deal worth $375 million to become FOX's next top broadcaster. But he didn't start with FOX right after retiring from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (for the second and final time). He took a year and is slated to join the team for Week 1 of the NFL regular season this fall.
On Thursday, Brady appeared on the SI Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina and opened up about the gap year he took.
"For me, it was the only way to do it," Brady said. "I realized that to come off of playing season and then to jump right into that, it’s a whole ‘nother discipline to learn and I really wanted to take some time to watch, listen and learn and talk to people."
He added that he wants to talk to people who he views as the "greatest" at what they've done:
"Everyone really opened their arms to embrace me and phone calls and there’s still more that I’m going to make before the start of the season. And I’m just very grateful for all the people that kind of shared a lot of incredible nuggets, ways to succeed, that I’ll be able to involve myself in as I go forward."
Tom Brady opens up on how to balance broadcasting
There are two sides to Tom Brady the former New England Patriots star believes will play big roles in his broadcasting. He admitted on Jimmy Traina's podcast that he sometimes "gets a little too serious" because he has a fun and a serious side.
“I think the analysis of what I’m actually seeing will be relatively straightforward for me," Brady said. "It’s kind of what I’ve done every day."
"I think the preparation is something that I really enjoy. (But), I think the important part for me would be how do I just continue to make it fun for people to enjoy the viewing experience? Sometimes I get a little too serious."
Brady will bring a wealth of NFL insight and experience to the table. However, he knows he might not be able to present it in a way that's easily digestible for football fans listening to the broadcast.