Hearing Tom Brady jab Peyton Manning during Sunday’s Lions-Cowboys broadcast gave Skip Bayless some hope for Brady’s broadcasting future.
The former “First Take” and “Undisputed” host has been wanting more from the future Hall of Famer, believing Brady purposefully tones it down instead of showing the competitive fire that made him a legend.
“Maybe a lot of people thought it was a ‘ha ha shot.’ I thought it was a shot-shot and I loved it. We need more of that Tom Brady,” Bayless said on his titular show of the Manning zing. “He’s in there, that raider Brady, that pirate is in there. That gangster is in there, but he’s not going to come out on broadcast because Tom still wants to be seen as a really nice guy. I don’t think he’ll ever be better than average at broadcaster and I think he just sealed his fate by becoming an owner and gangstering Fox.”
Brady is just six weeks into his broadcasting career after signing a 10-year, $375 million deal to be Fox’s lead NFL analyst, replacing Greg Olsen.
There has been some good and some bad, which is to be expected in the first year of a new role.
One of the hardest parts for new announcers is learning how to be properly critical of people they may be friends with off the field since that’s what the job calls for.
During the Lions’ win Sunday, Brady showed a willingness to do so when he said of Manning’s historic 2013 season with the Broncos: “I saw Peyton Manning when he threw 55 touchdowns, there were more pick plays in that offense than in the history of NFL football.”
That type of honest assessment goes a long way for Bayless.
“He has resorted to babbling and babbling more and more as he tries harder and harder to be great at broadcasting, driving me crazy,” Bayless said of Brady. “Only once have I seen him let his hair down, so to speak, as a broadcaster.”
Brady’s ability to be critical will now be a national storyline since his new role as a minority Raiders owner reportedly affects what he can say on air.
He is not allowed to criticize teams or officials, according to Reuters.
Brady and play-by-play partner Kevin Burkhardt will be on the call for Sunday’s Super Bowl rematch when the undefeated Chiefs (5-0) battle the NFC West-leading 49ers (3-3) in Santa Clara, Calif.
