Everyone holds a press conference before the Super Bowl. Everyone. Players and coaches from the teams, obviously, but also the Halftime Show singer, the league commissioner, and the television broadcasting team, who this year have a special interest in the presence of Tom Brady, the player with the most titles in NFL history.
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Brady spoke with over 20 journalists online Wednesday afternoon and answered questions about his transition to a commentator job. It was the first time TB12 was available for interviews.
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How did Tom Brady do in his first season as a commentator?
This year, Brady received as much attention in his analyst role as he did during his 23 seasons as quarterback for the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, teams with which he won seven Super Bowls.
Although the general consensus indicates that his first year behind the microphone wasn't as good as Tony Romo's with CBS in 2017, Brady showed progression during the playoffs, especially in the NFC Championship game between the Eagles and Commanders broadcasted by FOX.
“There is no marker for us. Did we feel like we approached the game the right way and were prepared? Ultimately, it comes down to two things: Was I confident in what I said and did I enjoy it? I think if those answers are affirmative, then we did a good job,” Brady said. “I am very excited for what's to come.”
Kevin Burkhardt, who is Brady's partner and will narrate his second Super Bowl, said he has noticed that Brady's level of comfort has improved as the season progresses.
Brady signed a ten-year contract for 375 million dollars with FOX and according to his agent, he intends to fully honor it.
In the conversation with journalists, he showed self-criticism and said, "I believe that the mistakes I have made —and I have made many— have taught me something each time. I am not happy that they have happened, but at the same time I understand that, when they occur, whether it is because I mispronounce a word, forget a specific statistic, my preparation was not adequate regarding my ideas on a subject, or I ruin the analysis, I go back and try to do it right the next time."
The NFL's tough restrictions on Brady's work
As Tom Brady is also a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, the league has imposed strict restrictions on his work as a commentator: he cannot criticize the NFL, referees, attend practices, or participate in production meetings with players and coaches before each game.
Anyway, the "GOAT" seemed to downplay those restrictions. "From a research standpoint, I listen to press conferences all week long. For me, there isn't much difference between the questions a journalist asks during a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday press conference and the ones I would ask. From my perspective, what's probably most strange are the genuine relationships that are built. As for my research, I don't think it has a big impact," said Brady.
Regarding his participation as a shareholder of the Raiders, Brady commented that "it is more of a long-term and behind-the-scenes role. I am there to support the team, the management, and the overall vision of success."