Tom Brady has been in the announcer’s booth for three weeks and has been lambasted for his performances. The commentating issue appears to be impossible to fix.
Tom Brady’s foray into sports commentary hasn’t gone smoothly, according to one ESPN staffer who has questioned the NFL icon’s broadcasting abilities.
Despite making solid improvement week after week at FOX Sports, where he has replaced Greg Olsen as the network’s top color commentator, the former quarterback is under fire for his on-air approach. Brady’s commentary on three consecutive Dallas Cowboys games has received mixed reviews, with several awkward silences in the first week due to nervousness.
He seemed to get more comfortable during the Cowboys’ clash against the New Orleans Saints but faced backlash once more after covering the Ravens matchup. ESPN senior writer Don Van Natta didn’t mince words when he shared his two cents saying: “Tom Brady’s problem, and ours, is his voice.
“No matter how much his commentary might improve, Brady’s delivery system teeters between mildly annoying to nails-on-a-chalkboard. It doesn’t help he’s paired with Kevin Burkhardt, whose magisterial voice is made for a microphone.”
This jab stirred a divide among fans, with some jumping to defend Brady while others echoed Van Natta’s sentiment, giving their input on where the sports legend could tweak his commentating technique.
One admirer commented: “They need to raise the volume on his mic slightly and he needs to learn breathing for singers/actors as his voice goes up when he gets excited by a play. Kevin does have a beautiful voice,” while another offered, “He shouldn’t be a game analyst. if you watch his hits with the in-studio hosts he is much more relaxed and able to use his expertise to discuss football. Brady would shine as a co-host on a studio show like Inside the NBA.”
FOX Sports was hoping Brady would mimic the smooth transition from the field to the commenting booth that former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo had with CBS, where he has become one of the most popular broadcasters in the league.
FOX has splurged on Brady, making him the highest-paid sports pundit in the industry, earning $37.5 million per season – more than twice Romo’s salary at CBS.
The renowned quarterback will return to familiar territory in Week 4 to remark on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ home game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
