Let’s Set Odds: What Year Will Tom Brady Join the FOX NFL Broadcast Booth?
By Ben Heisler
When longtime FOX broadcasters and Pro Football Hall of Famers Troy Aikman and Joe Buck left their gig to pivot to ESPN/ABC for Monday Night Football, the network was methodical in making their next move to replace them.
Now, we know why.
On a call with investors this morning, FOX CEO Lachlan Murdoch informed them that the seven-time Super Bowl champion would be joining the broadcast booth following the conclusion of his playing career.
"We are pleased to announce that immediately following his playing career, 7-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady will be joining us at @FOXSports as our lead analyst. pic.twitter.com/fJTOQJ9BwM
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) May 10, 2022
Brady will join current No. 1 broadcaster Kevin Burkhardt once he joins the booth. FOX has the Super Bowl in both 2023 as well as 2025, and multiple reports expect Burkhardt to remain paired up with his current partner, former Bears and Panthers tight end Greg Olsen.
The future of NFL games is now set to look like this:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 10, 2022
CBS: Jim Nantz and Tony Romo
FOX: Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady (once done playing)
NBC: Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth
ESPN: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
Amazon: Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit
Odds for when Tom Brady Officially Joins the FOX NFL Booth
OVER/UNDER the Year 2024 (start of the season)
- OVER (-110)
- UNDER (-110)
So when can we expect TB12 to actually show up in the booth?
After retiring for about a month this offseason, Brady decided the current at-home situation was not for him; at least for right now. Entering his age-45 season, he's returned for his third season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with a new head coach in Todd Bowles as Bruce Arians moved upstairs to the front office.
Brady is set to make $30 million this year with Tampa, and will likely go year-to-year for however long he decides to play. As long as the Buccaneers remain competitive, and Brady's numbers continue to back him as one of the game's elite, it's hard to fathom him walking away after just a year.
At the same time, Brady may already have one foot out the door, deciding on his next opportunity before his playing career is finished. If he were to join the booth in the fall of 2023, that would give him a full season under his belt before FOX's next Super Bowl broadcast in February of 2025 (2024 season).
He's proven all of us wrong time and time again when determining when he'll hang it up, but I'll say this is the true swan song season for Brady, as he starts up with FOX in the booth at the start of the 2023 regular season.
PICK: UNDER 2024 (-110)
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