Tom Brady has essentially done everything a professional football player can aspire to at this point in his life. He’s earned numerous accolades, established himself as one of the greatest athletes of his time and will enter the hall of fame at some point. So the sports world was somewhat surprised when the legendary quarterback called off his retirement earlier this year. Though Brady is set to return to the gridiron for his 23rd NFL season later this year, he’s already inked a TV deal that could allegedly make him a lot of money, should he ever actually retire, of course.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion has signed a deal to become an NFL analyst for Fox Sports following his professional career. Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch confirmed the news during the company’s fiscal third-quarter earnings call, according to Deadline. Murdoch referred to the agreement as a “long-term” one that would see the Tampa Bay Buccaneer “call our biggest NFL games” and “serve as an ambassador” for the company.
The financial terms of Tom Brady’s deal were not disclosed during the call, but a report from The New York Post later alleged that the star’s contract is worth $375 million. Fox has since responded to the assumption, though, and has suggested that that isn’t the exact figure:
What has been reported isn’t an accurate description of the deal and we have not released details beyond what was disclosed on our quarterly earnings call.
Even if that’s not the actual number, it’s not too far-fetched to assume that the former New England Patriot is getting paid a hefty sum for his services. The fact that Fox is investing in him for the long haul means the corporation has a lot of confidence in his commentating skills and his ability to draw in viewers. It remains to be seen whether he can surpass the popularity of someone like former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who’s made quite a name for himself as an analyst.
There is, of course, still the question of when Tom Brady is actually going to hang up his helmet. Following a swath of retirement rumors, Brady officially announced his plans to walk away from football this past January. The announcement was greeted with a plethora of well wishes from fans and major figures within the sports world. It was in March, however, that he shifted gears and opted to return for another season. That move garnered some funny reactions, including a particularly salty response from Peyton Manning.
Tom Brady does seem to be prepping for his future, though, as he’s been dipping his toes into other kinds of projects as of late. He headlined the ESPN documentary series Man in the Arena, which featured the likes of Bill Belichick and Drew Bledsoe. The three-time NFL MVP is also making a movie that features some acting royalty. So whether he’s commentating on Fox Sports, venturing into Hollywood or even just reading mean tweets on air for our enjoyment, I’d say Brady has a lot of fun (and lucrative) options – if or when he ever finally retires.
Those who’d like to see more of the athlete can check him out when the NFL season starts this fall, or they can check out Man in the Arena now by grabbing a Hulu subscription.
