Ex-NFL star quarterback Tom Brady is now striving to become a prominent commentator in the broadcast booth. His actual commencement with FOX Sports occurs on Sunday, when the Dallas Cowboys face off against the Cleveland Browns in the season opener for both squads.
Yet, fans received a preview of Brady during halftime of the Texas vs. Michigan matchup, also aired on FOX. He faced some criticism online regarding his … well, performance.
“Joining Joel Klatt during halftime of the Texas-Michigan game on Fox, Brady appeared at times to be hunting for words as he transitioned from what he intended to express to what he actually conveyed,” wrote Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
One instance cited by Florio was when Brady was inquired about Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose tenure in Cleveland thus far has been underwhelming.
“Deshaun is eager to demonstrate that . . . Cleveland made the investment in him and that he can deliver when it counts,” Brady responded.
Florio proposed another viewpoint.
“The hesitation was evident,” he noted. “Brady wanted to articulate what he was considering. Watson has secured a five-year fully guaranteed contract. He has failed to justify it. If he doesn’t deliver this year, Cleveland needs to contemplate handing him a $92 million check and telling him to take a hike.
“That’s likely what Brady was contemplating. (If not, he ought to have been.) Why not simply express it?”
Others criticized his performance on social platforms, with one user remarking that Brady “resembles a dashing vampire.”
Such comparisons did not stop there. “Whenever Tom Brady is near a carbohydrate, I bet he hisses like a vampire in proximity to garlic,” another user quipped.
These remarks are somewhat severe — but the reality is, FOX is compensating Brady handsomely to call it as he perceives it. Hopefully for everyone involved, he will indeed do just that in his first NFL season behind the microphone.
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