NFL Rumors: Could Tom Brady bail on $375M retirement plan? NFL columnist outlines Gisele Bundchen concern
Tom Brady made history when he signed the largest sports broadcasting contract ever, worth $375 million over ten years with FOX Sports. The deal was always set to begin at a future date as he signed it prior to announcing his NFL retirement from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It was later reported that Brady will begin broadcasting NFL games in 2024 after taking the 2023 NFL season off in his first year post-retirement. He's now rumored to be reconsidering the job altogether. This comes in the aftermath of his split from his wife Gisele Bundchen.
Columnist Andrew Marchand detailed Tom Brady's chances of calling NFL games during a recent episode of the "Marchand and Ourand" sports media podcast:
“It was at 51 percent that he’s going to do it to 49 that he’s not going to do it with the reasoning it’s so much money he’ll try it for a year. However, I’ve talked to a couple people recently close to Brady and I kind of feel like I’m going 49 percent chance he does it, 51 percent chance he doesn’t.
“He doesn’t want to travel that much; obviously he’s going to go private. I think Brady’s a guy who, if he’s in, he’s all-in, so he’s not going to be showing up day of games like Joe Buck and Troy Aikman do sometimes. He’s going to be there early if he’s going to do it.
"So it’s going to be a four-day event, again, cry me a river, for that type of money for five and a half months. But I think he shares his kid with Gisele, I think that’s very important to him and he can make money elsewhere.”
CLIP: Brady Meter to call Fox games moves to 49-51
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Marchand believes there's basically a coin-flip chance that Brady will officially take the job with FOX Sports, with declining it being a miniscule favorite. He points out that co-parenting will likely play a huge factor in his decision, especially because it wasn't something he anticipaed at the time he accepted the offer.
While Tom Brady is one of the richest NFL players of all-time and has many profitable business ventures, it would surely be shocking to see him step away from a legendary deal that he already previously agreed to.
Tom Brady's FOX deal in numbers
Despite never working as a broadcaster before, Tom Brady locked in a deal with FOX Sports to make him the highest-paid person in the field by a wide margin. His $37.5 million in AAV more than doubles any other person calling NFL games. Tony Romo currently ranks second with $18 million in AAV.
Jim Rome is the next closest earner in sports talk to Brady's insane contract. Rome makes an estimated $30 million in AAV for his studio show. This puts Brady's salary far above any other personality in the sports talk business before his career in the industry has ever even begun.
Tom Brady's net worth in 2023
Tom Brady is estimted to have a net worth of around $250 million in 2023. This is more than any active NFL player, with Aaron Rodgers topping the list at $200 million. Brady's net worth also ranks third for any player, current or former, in NFL history.
Brady is currently estimated to be tied with Peyton Manning, who also has a net worth around $250 million. Just Fran Tarkenton at $300 million and Roger Staubach at $600 million rank higher in NFL history, according to Celebrity Net Worth.