by Chase Cooper
Over the past few years, we have seen the most recent generation of superstar quarterbacks retire. Some of these quarterbacks include Peyton Manning, Tony Romo, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, and most recently Tom Brady. Aside from being at the top of most people’s lists as some of the best quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen, they all have made the same transition to a new career: broadcasting.
History has shown us that one of the most popular career transitions for retired athletes is broadcasting, simply because of their advanced knowledge of the sport and in-depth analysis that they can bring to a booth. The Manning brothers have created “ManningCast”, a secondary channel for viewers to watch Monday Night Football games on ESPN2. Drew Brees spent time with NBC on Football Night in America, while Tony Romo has cemented himself as the number one color analyst for CBS with Jim Nantz.
Tono Romo (right) sits next to Jim Nantz (left) prior to their broadcast of the CBS Game of the Week. Romo has been broadcasting for 5 years after playing for the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2016.
On February 1, 2023, Tom Brady retired for the second time in two years. In May of 2022, Brady signed a deal with Fox Sports to be the lead color analyst for Fox games following his retirement. The deal was signed for 10 years and $375 million, which is more than he made in his entire football career. Brady, like many others who retire from their job, will take some personal time before putting the headset on in the booth.
According to an interview with Colin Cowherd, Brady said that he will begin his broadcasting career in fall 2024.
Tom Brady runs off the field for the final time before retiring. His exit came after a 31-14 loss against the Dallas Cowboys in Tampa, Florida.
“Even in the future, I want to be great at what I do, and that always takes some time and strategizing and learning and growing and evolving,” Brady said in an recent article.
The comment by Brady proves to many that career transitions for athletes may not be as easy as many individuals think it is. He also mentions the importance of spending time with his family and friends during his preparation for his broadcasting career.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity for me to take some time to really certainly become (qualified) at my FOX broadcasting job… But also catching up in other parts of my life that need some time and energy.”
