It’s uncommon for an NFL game, especially a high-profile one, to be overshadowed by the broadcasters. However, that’s the case with a major Week 1 matchup this season.
While the full NFL schedule will be released on Wednesday, Fox has already announced its marquee late Sunday game for Week 1: the Dallas Cowboys will face the Cleveland Browns on September 8 at 4:25 p.m. ET.
What makes this game particularly noteworthy is that it will mark Tom Brady’s debut as Fox’s lead color commentator. The legendary quarterback, who recently signed a massive 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox, will be stepping into the broadcasting booth for the first time.
The NFL found this event significant enough to allow Fox to announce the game ahead of the rest of the schedule release. Brady’s debut is expected to draw considerable attention, not least because of the matchup itself: the Cowboys, fresh off an NFC East championship, are always a major draw, and the Browns, who made the playoffs last season, are contenders in the AFC North. The game is set in the coveted late afternoon slot, which Fox will have to itself as CBS will be airing the US Open tennis tournament.
Brady’s transition to broadcasting has been highly anticipated. His contract with Fox is unprecedented in the industry, making his debut one of the most talked-about events of Week 1. The gamble by Fox, which invested heavily in Brady without any prior broadcasting experience, is set to be put to the test.
It’s not often that a broadcaster’s first game becomes one of the major stories of the season opener, but Tom Brady’s debut in the booth is an exception.
