Tom Brady keeps on winning. Already the greatest winner in NFL history, the seven-time Super Bowl champ added another accomplishment to his resume Tuesday, inking the richest deal in the history of sports media. Upon his inevitable retirement, Brady will join Kevin Burkhardt in the Fox broadcast booth, replacing Troy Aikman as the network’s lead analyst.
While defying Father Time in his pursuit of football immortality, Brady has expanded his business empire, becoming more active in the cryptocurrency space, growing his social media following and giving a window into his personality through his podcast with longtime collaborator Jim Gray. The legendary quarterback has parlayed his NFL success into an ESPN documentary series, a producing credit in an upcoming road-trip comedy starring Sally Fields and Jane Fonda and TNT’s Match golf series, among other content opportunities.
It’s incredible exposure for an athlete whose career was thought to be winding down and a masterclass in brand awareness. Freed from the tyranny of fun vampire Bill Belichick and the “Patriot Way,” Brady has never been in higher demand and boy does he know it, appearing anywhere and everywhere with trips to the Miami Grand Prix and Old Trafford, among other recent cameos. Never mind his failed takeover in Miami, nearly orchestrating a coup that would have seated him atop the Dolphins’ organization (instead, he settled for ousting Bruce Arians and playing head games with Adam Schefter).
Brady’s power grab has been a marvel to watch, though his scorched-earth tactics, wielding his celebrity and influence like a dagger, have also opened him up to criticism. America’s collective Brady fatigue was evident on social media Tuesday, with critics questioning the 44-year-old’s broadcasting qualifications, lamenting what some would consider an undeserved opportunity. Others were critical of Brady continuing to put his career ahead of his family, taking a job he arguably didn’t need.
Brady isn’t the first athlete to encounter a late-career identity crisis. For the better part of two decades, Brady has known only one thing—winning at all costs. Flipping the off switch is easier said than done. Just ask control freaks like Michael Jordan, whose ego has served as a double-edged sword, alienating those around him with his ruthlessness and obsessive need to compete.
Accepting an eight-figure salary to work only a few hours a week is good business, regardless of whether Brady has the charisma or talent to be an asset in the booth. There will always be a segment of the population that wants Brady to fail, much in the same way society resents other impossibly wealthy, absurdly privileged power brokers like Elon Musk (who bought Twitter, essentially for kicks) and Jeff Bezos. As a public figure who has never shied from the spotlight, maybe Brady has earned that. Still, you have to admire the man’s consistency, winning in every single aspect of his life with no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
Related
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram