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‘It’s just not good’: Bill Simmons offered a blunt critique of Tom Brady’s broadcasting style
"This guy's like one of the greatest resources in football that we have, and they don't tap into any of it."
Bill Simmons shared his thoughts on Tom Brady’s transition to the TV booth: Bill Simmons, the former “Boston Sports Guy” and founder of “The Ringer,” recently offered his take on former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s young career as the primary color commentator for Fox’s NFL coverage.
Simmons, speaking on an episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast” that was recorded after Sunday’s slate of Week 9 games, was blunt in his appraisal of Brady’s shift to the broadcasting booth.
“I thought Brady was just bad today,” Simmons began. “That Lions-Packers [game], which I thought was a really good game, and I found myself [saying] I just really wanted better announcers for it. He just doesn’t tell me enough.”
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Brady is in the first season of a massive 10-year deal worth $375 million with Fox to be part of its broadcasting team. Yet while other former quarterbacks, like ex-Cowboy Tony Romo, have found success transitioning into a different role around the game, Brady is still finding his footing.
Simmons criticized Brady for not, as an example, offering more background on Packers QB Jordan Love playing with an injury.
“Brady’s obviously played hurt,” Simmons explained. “Romo would’ve dove into that, [and] be like, ‘I can tell Love’s hurt, and here’s why. Watch this throw, watch this plant leg.’ Just teach me something.”
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“Brady’s not teaching us anything,” Simmons added.
Speaking alongside podcast co-host Sal Iacono, Simmons surmised that the former Patriot might be falling victim to “over-preparing.”
Having publicly decided to speak out against Brady’s current job performance, Simmons foresaw himself being quoted. He tried to narrow his critiques down to a more nuanced media position.
“I think he’s being poorly produced is where I’ve landed, because I think whatever they’re telling him to do, it’s not working,” Simmons said of Brady.
“None of it feels genuine to me,” the longtime Patriots fan said of the former QB. “And then on top of that, [Brady] owns a piece of [the Las Vegas Raiders], and it feels like he can’t be as critical maybe as he wants to be in certain spots.”
Far from dismissing Brady’s long-term viability as an announcer, Simmons explained that he sees major potential in the ex-QB’s ability to communicate important details to a football-watching public.
“This guy’s like one of the greatest resources in football that we have, and they don’t tap into any of it.”
“I know it’s in there, and they just have not unlocked it,” Simmons said of Brady. “I think they really have to figure it out. He seems super over-prepared to me.”
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In fact, instead of upping his game as he gets more experience, Simmons believes Brady has fallen further behind.
“I don’t think he’s good at it. Now we’ve had nine weeks, and I feel like he’s gotten worse than he was four, five weeks ago,” Simmons asserted.
Part of the issue the longtime media personality has with Brady is he doesn’t see who the ex-Patriot is reaching with his broadcast.
“Who are the people watching these games going, ‘Brady was awesome, oh my God I learned so much from Brady’?
“He’s just not doing a good enough job,” Simmons said. “I really think they need to hit the reset button, clear the cache, [and] start over.”
One solution, though Simmons admitted that he “hates” three-person booths, is to add a third announcer.
“I would actually do [Julian] Edelman. I think you put Edelman in there,” Simmons said of adding another voice to the booth alongside Brady. “He needs something to loosen himself up, but they’re not going to do it because they don’t want to admit defeat, and he’s hosting the Super Bowl and they’re paying him this crazy number.
“It’s just not good. That was a really cool game today that needed better announcing. “
Trivia: What former player was the color commentator for Super Bowl I?
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(Answer at the bottom.)
Hint: An NFL MVP in 1956 during the height of his playing career, he went on to win two Emmys during his lengthy broadcasting career.
Scores and schedules:
The Celtics defeated the Hawks 123-93 on Monday. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 28 points, nine assists, and six rebounds.
Tonight, the Bruins will face the Maple Leafs in Toronto at 7 p.m.
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The NFL trade deadline: The league’s annual trade deadline is set for 4 p.m. ET today. The Patriots have already dealt two pass rushers (Matthew Judon and Josh Uche) in separate deals that brought additional draft picks to New England. An early deal from deadline day will reportedly see another pass rusher, Za’Darius Smith, head from the Browns to the Lions.
On this day: In 2017, Mass. native Shalane Flanagan became the first U.S. woman to win the New York Marathon in 40 years.
Daily highlight: Grizzlies guard Ja Morant made multiple absurdly skillful plays on Monday, but Memphis lost to Brooklyn in the end 106-104.
Trivia answer: Frank Gifford
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