Tom Brady will face one of the biggest tests of his career in the Super Bowl on Sunday, this time as Fox’s lead analyst. The former quarterback, in the first year of a 10-season, $375m contract, is the highest-paid announcer in any sport. But his move to the booth has been a dud, with his lack of polish startling even for a newbie.
Brady’s broadcast debut was an inoffensive mess, marked by overpreparation, overeagerness and a struggle to form coherent sentences. He has shown few signs of improvement, with a monotonous, staccato rhythm and a tendency to hold back his true thoughts. The greatest quarterback of all time seldom brings his unique knowledge to the set.
Fox expects Brady to break down the game as only a seven-time Super Bowl winner could, but his performance has bottomed out as the stakes have risen. Whether he can meet the moment on Sunday remains to be seen.
