By The Capital Sports Report Staff
Tom Brady is set to become the country’s next top football analyst after signing a 10-year, $375m deal with Fox Sports last year. Brady isn’t ready to start his TV gig, though.
The seven-time Super Bowl Champion plans to stay away from the cameras for the better part of 2023 and 2024. He will commence his broadcasting job next year when the 2024 NFL season starts.
So, does that mean Brady isn’t planning to become a football coach? Will he ever return to the New England Patriots?
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Brady is Prioritizing Broadcasting
After Fox announced Brady would be joining the organization as a broadcaster, the plan was for the legendary QB to assume the role immediately after retirement.
Of course, the former Patriots footballer had other places. Although he said he couldn’t wait to get on TV, Brady made it clear that he would be taking a one-year break from his career.
Nonetheless, the California native is excited to work as a broadcaster. Of course, he’s being paid incredibly well for his opinions—he will be the highest-paid color commentator on TV when his job starts.
He will earn $37.5 million per year, more than double what CBS’ Tony Romo and ESPN’s Troy Aikman earn. Although it’s a lot of money, Brady has the fan base to turn any sports TV show into a success.
If for some reason his TV career flops, Brady can always venture into other businesses. As a famous footballer, he can make money by promoting different industries, from banking to sports betting
Legal sports betting is a big deal in the US, more so in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and lately, Massachusetts. Stay informed if you like to bet on sports. More than 30 states already allow betting.
Now, Brady doesn’t need to make money from betting. But he could become an ambassador for a leading sportsbook. If he doesn’t want to promote gambling companies, he has plenty of other options, including crypto and fashion brands.
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Brady Ruled Out Coaching in 2016
In 2016, reporters asked Brady if he would ever consider coaching as a job after retirement from the NFL. Brady responded in a short but clear manner, ruling out the possibility of becoming a football coach in the near future.
“Coaching wouldn’t be for more,” Brady said. “I don’t have the patience to be a coach.” He added.
After 23 seasons in the NFL, Brady finally retired earlier this year. Of course, he first retired last year. But after six weeks, he decided to get back to football for one more season. This time, Brady says, everything is official and he won’t be coming back to the league—not as a player or as a coach.
For a man with so many football records, you would think coaching would fit right into his alley. Brady spent 20 years with the Patriots, which is why some people were thinking he might go back there as an assistant coach.
As already mentioned, Brady is a seven-time Super Bowl winner. He’s won more championships than any NFL team out there. He retired as the league’s leading passing yard record holder. And we haven’t even scratched the surface.
Of course, being a good footballer doesn’t always translate into great coaching. Brady knows that hence why he’s not in a hurry to get into coaching.
Brady’s Football Experience
Although Brady doesn’t want to coach, he can contribute a lot to the sport. Most NFL players average 10 years in the league. The most successful footballers retire after 15 seasons.
Brady played for a record 23 seasons. And he was performing much better than his opponents during his final year of football. Then there’s his football IQ—he’s arguably the best NFL quarterback in history.
He’s been to more Super Bowl games than anyone else has. He holds both regular season and playoff records. He proved to be an excellent leader for both the teams he played for—Patriots and the Buccaneers.
In other words, Brady is a football expert. He might not be into coaching. But he will fit right in the broadcasting booth. He knows what good QBs need to do to win games. He knows how defense lines should pair up to minimize scores. And he knows a thing or two about coaching.
Is Brady Making the Wrong Decision by Avoiding Coaching?
As mentioned, great players don’t always become great coaches. Just look at this list:
- Wayne Gretzky
- Isiah Thomas
- Art Shell
- Mike Dikta
- Diego Maradona
- Alan Shearer
Gretzky is considered the best NHL player of all time. So, when he retired, everyone expected him to be a decent coach. He eventually picked up a coaching job with the Phoenix Coyotes (Arizona Coyotes). After four seasons, the team fired him for not performing well enough—he had a .431 winning percentage.
In the world of soccer, Maradona ranks amongst the best footballer of all time. Yet, in the few times he tried management, he always came short. It’s the same story for Thomas, Shearer, Dikta, and Shell.
They’re legendary athletes. But they couldn’t translate their experience as players into coaching. Brady probably feels he would fail as a coach—he already said he lacks patience. And that’s good because he doesn’t have to force himself into doing a job he feels underqualified.
Why Do So Many Former Athletes Fail at Coaching?
Brady says patience is the main reason he wouldn’t cut it as a football coach. But there are many patient NFL legends out there with tremendous football knowledge. And yet, they never succeeded in coaching
The short answer is that playing is a lot different from coaching. Most legends are naturally talented. Maradona wasn’t always fit. Yet, he led both his country and clubs to championships.
Brady is athletic and has all the qualities of a top-tier QB. But that doesn’t mean anything in the coaching world. Managers don’t need to be great at throwing the ball.
They need to excel in coordinating their players, reading opposing teams, and drafting the best players for different positions. Some former athletes succeed in coaching—Man City’s (Manchester City) Pep Guardiola is an excellent example. He’s successful because he learned what it takes to be a great coach.
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