The world had a very specific plan for Tom Brady after he finally put the helmet down for good. We expected him to just glide into the Fox Sports booth, flash those porcelain teeth, and start delivering instant-classic analysis while collecting his $375 million paycheck. But if you've been reading the comments about Tom Brady lately—especially since his first Super Bowl call in 2025 and into the 2026 season—you know it hasn’t exactly been a victory lap.
People are being brutal. And honestly? Some of it is actually fair.
The "Rookie" Wall No One Expected
When Brady first showed up for that Cowboys-Browns game in late 2024, the internet basically had a collective meltdown. He sounded, well, human. There were long pauses. His voice got a little "weedy" and high-pitched when he got nervous. Critics like Ben Strauss from the Washington Post noted he lacked that polished, veteran sheen we’re used to from guys like Troy Aikman.
It was weird to see the guy who dissected the Legion of Boom look visually flustered by a simple fist-bump attempt with rules analyst Mike Pereira.
But as we moved into 2025, the narrative shifted from "he's nervous" to "he's getting in his own way." One of the biggest gripes in the comments about Tom Brady during Super Bowl LIX was his obsession with his own history. If you were playing a drinking game every time he mentioned the 28-3 comeback against the Falcons, you probably didn't make it to the fourth quarter. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) were ruthless, with some asking if we’re going to have to hear about 2017 for the next decade of our lives.
Why the Critics Aren't Letting Up
- The Greg Olsen Factor: This is the big one. Fox didn't just hire Brady; they demoted Olsen, who was arguably the best in the business. When you replace a fan favorite with a guy making twice as much money who—initially—wasn't half as good, people are going to talk.
- The "Brady Rules": Because Brady is trying to become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, the NFL slapped him with a bunch of restrictions. He can’t go into other teams' practices. He’s technically not supposed to rip into officials.
- The Voice: It sounds petty, but sports fans are picky. Some early Reddit threads were flooded with people complaining that his voice was too "shrill" or lacked the "honey-smooth" delivery of Kevin Burkhardt.
Moving Past the "HR Presentation" Vibes
The Guardian once famously described Brady’s broadcasting style as having the "pizzazz of a Friday afternoon Zoom presentation from HR." That hurt. It was also kind of true for a while. Brady was playing it safe. He was talking about "juice" and "effort" instead of telling us why the safety cheated toward the hash marks.
But here’s the thing about Brady: he’s a psychopath when it comes to preparation.
By the time the 2025 season wrapped and we hit January 2026, the comments about Tom Brady started to take a weird turn. People—actual experts like Stan Verrett—started saying he might already be the best analyst on TV.
What changed? He stopped being a "company man" and started being a quarterback again. In a recent Eagles-49ers game, he did this breakdown of how Nakobe Dean got sucked into a Christian McCaffrey route that left a receiver wide open. It was the kind of "high-IQ football" talk that actually justifies the massive contract. He also finally started ignored those "ownership rules" and began criticizing bad officiating. He told the world he didn't like a late-hit call on Jalen Hurts, basically saying, "Let the guys play."
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That’s the Brady people want. We don’t want the polished brand; we want the guy who used to scream at his linemen.
The Personal Backlash: Roasts and Regrets
You can't talk about public opinion without mentioning that Netflix roast. That was a turning point. It was the first time we saw Brady vulnerable to jokes about his divorce from Gisele Bündchen and his failed crypto investments.
While the ratings were huge, the fallout was messy. Gisele was reportedly "deeply disappointed." Brady himself eventually went on The Pivot podcast and admitted he wouldn't do it again because of how the jokes affected his kids. This created a weird split in the comments about Tom Brady. Half the fans loved seeing him "unfiltered," while the other half felt it was a cringey lapse in judgment for a guy who usually protects his image like a hawk.
What’s Actually Happening in 2026?
Currently, Brady is navigating a very strange double life. On one hand, he's the face of Fox Sports. On the other, he's dealing with the headache of being a Raiders owner while the team struggles. Reports from insiders like Dianna Russini suggest he’s getting "frustrated" with the Raiders' performance, especially after the firing of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly late in 2025.
The public is watching this closely. The common sentiment is that Brady is spread too thin. You see it in the comments: Is he an owner? An announcer? A fitness mogul?
The "Sophomore" Jump
Despite the noise, the "reps" are paying off. Even his harshest critics from the first season are starting to admit that his "Week 1" version and his "Year 2" version are night and day. Erin Andrews even texted him saying the progress was "night and day."
He’s learning when to shut up and let the game breathe. That was his biggest rookie mistake—filling every second with words because he was terrified of dead air. Now, he’s more relaxed. He’s making jokes about his old coach Bill Belichick cussing people out. He’s becoming a person again, not just a statue.
How to Watch Brady Like an Expert
If you’re tuning in to a Fox broadcast now, don’t just listen for the clichés. Look for these specific things that the pro-Brady camp is currently praising:
- The "Pre-Snap" Tell: Brady is getting incredible at predicting where the ball is going before it's even snapped.
- The Mechanics: He’s been using on-screen telestrators to explain wind resistance and ball flight—technical stuff that most announcers ignore.
- The Edge: Watch for him to disagree with the rules analyst. When he stops being "politically correct," the broadcast gets 10x better.
Honestly, the comments about Tom Brady will probably always be a mix of awe and annoyance. That’s just the tax you pay for being the GOAT. But the "mediocre TV talent" labels are starting to fade. He's proving that even at 48, he can still outwork the field—even if he has to take a few hits to the ego on social media to get there.
To keep up with the latest shifts in his broadcasting style, pay attention to his "199" newsletter. He’s been surprisingly candid there about his own struggles with confidence in the booth. It turns out, even Tom Brady gets "jitters" when the red light comes on.
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Next Steps for the Savvy Fan
- Compare the tapes: Watch a clip of his Week 1 debut against his most recent Divisional Round call; the difference in his vocal cadence is actually wild.
- Mute the noise: Ignore the "Chiefs fatigue" or "Patriots hate" in the comments and focus solely on whether his explanation of the "Cover 2" shell actually helped you understand the play.
- Follow the ownership saga: Keep an eye on the Raiders' front office moves this offseason, as Brady's "frustration" is likely to influence their next coaching hire.