Tom Brady looked \u2013 and sounded \u2013 like a rookie quarterback during his first season as an NFL broadcaster.<\/p>\n
He was timid. He didn\u2019t know when to pick his spots. He was unsure when to check down. And he didn\u2019t know how or when to take a deep shot, either. When the lights were the brightest for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, he proved he wasn\u2019t exactly ready to be in Fox\u2019s NFL booth quite yet<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not that he was bad. It\u2019s that he was basic. Safe. Unremarkable.<\/p>\n But Fox didn\u2019t hand him a 10-year, $375 million deal to be a developmental prospect<\/a>. It wasn\u2019t investing in potential. It was buying Tom Brady. The name, the voice, the aura. And in Year 1, that guy never showed up, at least not in the booth.<\/p>\n Now, heading into Year 2, the bar hasn\u2019t moved, but the expectations might have, especially when Brady\u2019s already offering disclaimers about what he won\u2019t be doing in the booth, like criticizing Patrick Mahomes.<\/p>\n @complexsports<\/a> \u201cHow can I throw shade at someone who is as amazing as he is?\u201d \ud83e\udd1d Tom Brady spills on Patrick Mahomes, his unique perspective as a broadcaster, and more. #tombrady<\/a> #patrickmahomes<\/a> \u266c original sound \u2013 Complex Sports<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHow can I throw shade at someone who\u2019s as amazing as he is?\u201d Brady told Complex Sports. \u201cI know what he\u2019s been through. And I think the one position that I\u2019m in now as a broadcaster, I do feel responsibility, A, to tell the fans what I see and be honest and upfront about everything. But also realize that what these guys are doing on the field is extremely difficult.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a high level of skill. You\u2019re looking at any of the 32 teams who have a starting quarterback out there; that guy is one of the best in the world at what he does. So, do they make the right plays all the time? Certainly not. By the way, neither did I. And I think you have to have this context and perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, we have a better understanding of Brady\u2019s approach to broadcasting, which leans more toward empathy and admiration, while emphasizing the challenges of playing quarterback at the highest level. But not every comment needs to be wrapped in a protective layer of respect and reverence. Especially not when you\u2019ve spent 20 years earning the credibility to speak plainly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou realize it\u2019s not about this harsh critique, and that\u2019s really not what it\u2019s all about anyway,\u201d Brady continued. \u201cTo me, it\u2019s more about, let\u2019s point out the greatness of these individual players. Have fun. Enjoy it. Entertain a little bit. And really try to educate people a little bit. But that\u2019s what I want to do on TV. And thought it was a great season because I\u2019ve got a great team at Fox. And we\u2019re going to keep building on the success we had in Year 1.\u201d<\/p>\n Fans might want more than just admiration and amusement. They want to understand what just happened, why it happened, and what the quarterback should\u2019ve done differently. They want the quarterback\u2019s quarterback.<\/p>\n Brady can be that. The question is whether he ever wants to.<\/p>\n \t