Don't expect to hear Tom Brady say anything negative about Patrick Mahomes in his second year in the booth.
With one season of calling games under his belt, the Fox announcer has given a lot of thought to what kind of broadcaster he wants to be, and he's decided that he wants to be a nice one.
Brady discussed his thoughts on his young broadcasting career so far with Complex Sports, and explained why he doesn't plan on criticizing the Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback, or any other player for that matter, in the booth.
"How can I throw shade at someone who's as amazing as [Mahomes] is?" Brady said. "I know what he's been through. And I think the one position that I'm in now as a broadcaster, I do feel responsibility to tell the fans what I see and be honest and upfront about everything, but also realize that what these guys are doing on the field is extremely difficult.
"It's a high level of skill. You're looking at any of the 32 teams who have a starting quarterback out there. That guy is one of the best in the world at what he does. So, do they make the right plays all the time? Certainly not. By the way, neither did I. And I think you have to have this context and perspective."
Brady called one Chiefs game in 2024, a Week 7 regular-season matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, which went pretty well all things considered. Still, Brady received a hefty share of criticism after his rookie analyst year and seems to have every intention of improving in 2025, albeit on his terms.
"To me, it's more about, let's point out the greatness of these individual players," continued Brady. "Have fun. Enjoy it. Entertain a little bit. And really try to educate people a little bit. But that's what I want to do on TV."
Brady won't have to wait long before testing out his constructive commentary on Mahomes, as he and Kevin Burkhardt are set to call Week 2's Super Bowl rematch between the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles this fall. Hopefully the G.O.A.T (and his likely heir apparent) live up to the moment.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tom Brady Explains Why He Will Never Criticize Patrick Mahomes During a Broadcast.
