Tom Brady's goal this season is to win his eighth championship, but he's also excited about a future opportunity that will come his way after he retires.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback reportedly signed a 10-year, $375 million with FOX to call NFL games as a color analyst. Brady reportedly was torn between an NFL comeback and the broadcast job, but the seven-time Super Bowl champion will be taking the job after his playing days are over. In the meantime, former NFL tight end and current FOX broadcaster Greg Olsen will be holding Brady's position until the time arrives for the three-time NFL MVP to step in.
Brady spoke to Dan Patrick on "The Dan Patrick Show" to discuss a myriad to topics. Their conversation went into Brady's FOX job, and he talked about what his transition from playing football to calling football on television will be like.
"Because I'm most familiar with that -- look, I've been in every production meeting for 22 years, since I started playing in 2001," Brady said Wednesday. "I know what those guys are asking. I know what they're asked to do, and I think it feels very much like a team that goes on the road to prepare for a game. There's a lot of a learning curve.
"Obviously, it's gonna be a totally new career. It's a new opportunity for me to try something that I'm totally gonna work hard to prepare to be as good as I can possible be, knowing that the day I walk on the set for the first time won't be my finest moment. There will be a lot of growing pains, and I'll have to learn to be really good at it, but I also think there's part of it that excites me -- I get to travel and be around football."
Brady is entering his 23rd season, and he reflected on the mentors he's had throughout his Hall of Fame career. He revealed what part of the future broadcast job excites him the most.
"I've been around good mentors in my football career, being blessed to get drafted by the (New England) Patriots," Brady added. "I was around one of the owners in the history of the NFL in Mr. (Robert) Kraft, being around one of -- the greatest head coach in NFL history in coach (Bill) Belichick. Josh McDaniels, Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, the list goes on with the coaches I've been around. General managers, Jason Licht and Scott Pioli. I get to be around players -- I had the players.
"I was around the best defensive players, offensive players. I've been covered by John Madden. I've been at Super Bowl media days. I've had so much experience, and if I can help people along the way by my travels and by talking to coaches and by talking to players -- I love this sport of football. I get to be in it. I think that's mostly what I got excited about. Part of retirement, for a brief period of time, I got to explore other opportunities and things that just came up, and this is one that excited me the most. Although it was kind of abrupt, it was kind of -- I'm happy I went to it."
Only Brady knows when he will call it a career. A trip to Canton, OH is in the cards for him whether that time comes after this season or five years from now. With the length of the FOX contract, a seat in the booth will be there waiting for him when the time comes.
