Tom Brady was the biggest transfer of the NFL summer, even though he is no longer actively playing. Instead, he signed on as an expert for “Fox”, where he costs a lot of money in addition to mixed performances and comment scandals. Is the GOAT on the microphone a big mistake?

375 million dollars over a period of ten years. What at first glance looks like a deal made by Chelsea FC, which is completely overpaying for a 19-year-old rough diamond, actually illustrates the most absurd contract ever signed by a TV expert.

In September of this year, around a year and a half after the retirement of quarterback legend Tom Brady, the US channel Fox decided to bring the GOAT of American football back to the NFL in a new role as expert and co-commentator.

An assessment that anyone who has ever taken a basic marketing course found absolutely understandable at the time the decision was made. Besides, the most gifted thrower the NFL has ever seen must have been born into the role of expert through his pure expertise gained from years of experience. Right?

Well. We are currently in Week 9 and Brady has not only caused a lot of controversy at the “Fox” microphone, but has also imposed a lot of disruptive rules on himself through a profit-oriented egoism deal that limits his creative freedom. And all for $37.5 million a year.

Is the seven-time Super Bowl champion a gigantic and financially serious mistake?

And comment-beginner Brady is also an investor Brady. In mid-October, the ex-quarterback got the final go-ahead to acquire five percent of the Las Vegas Raiders’ shares. What already sounds like a balancing act between “impartial expert” and “franchise capitalist” on logical consideration is also causing problems in the NFL’s day-to-day business.

As an investor, the former quarterback has to follow a strict set of rules that severely limit him in his work as a TV pundit and commentator. He is not allowed to publicly criticize referees or other NFL franchises, nor is he allowed to visit the training grounds of other teams or their units. He is also not allowed to attend TV production meetings held before game days with coaches and key players from the teams facing each other.

And that inevitably raises the question: Does this actually make sense? To restrict an expert, whose work is characterized by analytical acuity and critical commentary, to such an extent?

One source of controversy in the Detroit Lions’ win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday confirmed the fears. Brady criticized a call by the referees after Lions safety Brian Branch was ejected for targeting. “I don’t like that call at all,” the ex-NFL superstar said. A clear violation of his contract, the net exploded. Incidentally, the league is much more relaxed about this than the fans, and there is no rule violation.

But that’s the crux of the matter. It will and should not be avoidable in the long run for Tom Brady to violate the imposed rules, otherwise his expert existence would be as pointless as his on-air debut was.

Tom Brady: Risky game with a fruitful outcome

“Fox” has taken a remarkable step with Tom Brady’s contract, betting on the radiance of a name in exchange for audience and attention. A speculative bet that could blow up in the station’s face in financial terms.

But it doesn’t. The national NFL Sunday window drew a 24.93 million average audience on Fox in Week 8, the highest audience and most viewers since 2015 (29.39 million). Each week, the broadcaster saw an increase in viewers compared to the previous year. Accordingly, Fox is said to be “satisfied” with Brady’s performance.

Of course, money outweighs quality. And that also answers the question of whether Tom Brady’s installation was a gigantic mistake.

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