Tom Brady’s debut as Fox Sports’ lead NFL analyst on Sunday included a humorous moment with former NFL officiating expert Mike Pereira. As Brady, alongside Kevin Burkhardt, prepared for the Cowboys-Browns game, a brief but amusing interaction unfolded when Pereira nearly missed a fist bump from Brady.
The Fist Bump Moment
Prior to the game, Brady extended his fist to greet Pereira. However, Pereira had already turned his head and missed the gesture. “Look, it’s Mike Pereira!” Burkhardt exclaimed, pointing in Pereira’s direction. Brady, positioned between Burkhardt and Pereira, held out his fist, but Pereira had looked away.
“Good to see you, buddy,” Brady said with a laugh, adding, “Oh, don’t leave me hanging.” Pereira, who had been absent from the booth during the 2023 season due to back surgery, eventually turned back and reciprocated the fist bump. “There we go!” Brady said with a smile. Pereira responded, “It’s so good to be back with you guys.”
Pereira’s Health Journey
Pereira had missed the previous season following an extensive back surgery. In March, he shared, “About six months ago, I announced I was taking a year off from Fox due to back surgery. Five months ago, I underwent an eight-and-a-half-hour procedure to fuse my back from T11 to S1 across seven levels. During recovery, when asked about my goals, I said the first was to walk again, and the second was to return to work.”
Brady’s Debut
Tom Brady’s long-awaited debut in the Fox Sports booth, following his signing of a 10-year, $375 million contract with the network, was met with positive reception. Brady navigated the transitions and dialogue with Burkhardt smoothly, demonstrating warmth and confidence throughout the broadcast of Dallas’ 33-17 victory over Cleveland.
