Whenever legendary quarterback Tom Brady officially retires from playing in the NFL, he'll swap out his helmet and uniform for a headset and sport coat. The 44-year-old veteran confirmed in May that he'll eventually transition to a career in broadcasting with Fox, serving as its lead NFL analyst. And Brady's deal with the network will also be record-breaking, as he's reportedly signed a massive 10-year, $375 million contract. He's made $302 million as a player.
Brady tweeted that he's excited about the job, but also noted that he still has "unfinished business" with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Back in March, he put an end to his pseudo-retirement after 40 days, announcing that he'd changed his mind about calling it quits and will return to the franchise for a 23rd season in the NFL. Whether or not Brady's greatness will transfer to the booth, former quarterback-turned-analyst Joe Theismann believes he'll need time to adapt.
"First of all, I'd say keep playing, Tom. Just keep playing. Because, whatever you faced on the field, it'll be different once you go in the booth," Theismann told The DA Show on Friday. "You have three hours, roughly, to communicate the game to people. I don't think he's ever really worked in that environment. Like everything else, there's a transition period. Let's say he leaves the game at 45. Do we expect Tom at 55, or 50, to still be in the booth? I don't know.
"I wish him a lot of luck. He's extremely intelligent about the game, and has terrific communication skills. And now, you walk into the booth and it's a bit different. Things are done there in soundbites because you have to give the play-by-play guys a chance to their job. So, there's a bit of a routine that has to be developed, a chemistry that needs to be developed... And I want it to be a good listen... I'm as interested as anybody."
Brady had walked away while at the top of his game. He's won a staggering seven Super Bowls, the most championships for a single player, along with five Super Bowl MVP awards. Last season, Brady led all NFL quarterbacks in touchdowns (43) and passing yards (5,316), and helped the Bucs reach the NFC divisional round. Among the league's all-time ranks, Brady ranks first in touchdowns (624), yards (84,250), and Super Bowl appearances (10).
The entire NFL conversation between Theismann and The DA Show can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The DA Show on Twitter @DAonCBS and @CBSSportsRadio, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.