Just on the heels of the conclusion of ESPN and Netflix's The Last Dance, which detailed the phenomenal run of Michael Jordan, another sports legend is getting their story told in a similar manner. NFL quarterback Tom Brady has partnered with ESPN and Religion of Sports to create Man In the Arena, a nine-part multiplatform docuseries scheduled for 2021.
The docuseries will cover all nine of Tom Brady's Super Bowl appearances to date, all of which happened during his tenure with the New England Patriots. Brady will give his firsthand account of his six Super Bowl wins, his three losses, and some of the "seemingly insignificant instances" of his career, according to Deadline. This may be a veiled reference to some of the various controversies that have plagued the Patriots during Brady's two-decade run with the team.
Man In the Arena will differ from The Last Dance in a key way. Michael Jordan and his teammates' interviews and commentary came decades after the end of the Chicago Bulls dynasty, while Tom Brady and likely some who will participate are still active in the NFL. Based on that, I can imagine players speaking about major subjects or controversies will be a lot less candid than those on The Last Dance.
Many involved are still active in the NFL, and obviously wouldn't want to incriminate themselves if there is risky business and get a suspension. Plus, the New England Patriots are notoriously one of the most closed-off teams in the NFL, so it's hard to imagine what explosive information a documentary like this could bring to light.
Take a look at the trailer for Man In the Arena below to see pictures of Tom Brady throughout his career, and a voiceover from Brady talking about how magically his life has just come together.
Some may think Tom Brady releasing a docuseries before the end of his NFL career is a bit premature, though it is worth noting The Last Dance ignored Michael Jordan's second return to the NBA where he played for the Washington Wizards for two years. Of course, it's an era completely detached from Jordan's other career, which may be Brady's argument for doing a documentary of his career in New England rather than waiting until after his tenure with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers.
Unfortunately, anyone hungry for more sports docuseries goodness from ESPN will have to wait on this one, as Man In the Arena isn't coming until 2021. There will likely be plenty of great things coming out before then, so be sure to stick with CinemaBlend and stay up to date on all the latest and greatest news in television and movies. Check out our summer TV premiere schedule for some upcoming options!
