Grading Tom Brady’s and Bill Belichick’s broadcasting starts: NFL media mailbag
With the NFL entering Week 5 — can you believe we are coming up on 30 percent of the regular season completed? — I thought it was a good time to answer NFL-specific media questions.
Questions have been lightly edited for clarity and length. Let’s go.
If you would have told me we’d be raving about Bill Belichick and raking Tom Brady over the coals, well, most would have thought the other way around. What’s your take on all the “rookies” (in broadcasting) this year? — Tom R.
What grade do you give Tom Brady four weeks into his broadcasting career? Where else does he need to improve? — Deven B.
I first wrote in 2016 while working at Sports Illustrated that I thought Belichick had all the traits to be a successful NFL broadcaster. Then came this piece for The Athletic in 2023 and this piece in January. So I’m not surprised in the slightest, and I would also not be surprised if he stuck with it after this season.
I wrote after Brady’s debut and his second game, and then last week I watched him call the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Philadelphia Eagles. The progress is there. It’s incremental, but he’s already a different broadcaster after four games versus his Sept. 8 call. It’s an increased comfort level that’s most obvious. I would grade him a B-minus after four weeks, and I’d consider that grade a success.
Where Brady has to improve is he’s still coming to the commentary after plays a little late, he offers little if any criticism of coaches, and we still don’t get enough second-level analysis, which for my definition is teaching me something new about the game that I didn’t see if I was following the ball. But the work in progress is heading in the right direction.
Has the NFL considered shutting out the networks and running the broadcasts themselves? Would they make more money if they broadcast themselves via NFL.com and potentially lease their stream to third parties like ESPN and others? — John B.
It’s the opposite. The NFL has been looking to shed media assets, including running the NFL Network. The financial outlay to produce the games themselves — think of all the hires they’d have to make in production and elsewhere — and then sublicense the games to another broadcaster would be so great that it’s not worth it. Also, they have existing rights contracts with companies, so the league could not even consider it for years.
I think the NFL will look to be involved in more one-off media projects rather than big-scale broadcasts, which is why I would not bet long on NFL Network doing games next decade, at least under the NFL Media banner.
Which current players are most sought after for post-retirement careers with the major networks? — Paul E.
The name that always comes up among networks isn’t a player but a coach: Mike Tomlin. The Pittsburgh Steelers coach would be hired immediately if he wants to be. All the networks love him.
