Categories: NFL

Tom Brady’s ‘Insane’ Prep: Cris Collinsworth’s Advice for His Broadcast Debut

FOXBOROUGH, MA - JUNE 12: Tom Brady smiles before his induction into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame on June 12, 2024 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Tom Brady is meticulously preparing for his NFL broadcasting debut this fall.

During an appearance on Kay Adams’ “Up and Adams” show, NBC announcer Cris Collinsworth revealed that an “insane and intense” Brady called him for advice ahead of his first game as the lead NFL analyst for Fox Sports.

“I told Tom, ‘Just be you.’ People already know who you are. Just be yourself,” the “Sunday Night Football” announcer said. “Go on there, talk about football, and have some fun. He’ll be great.”

Brady, who retired from the NFL in February 2023 after 23 seasons, signed a ten-year, $375 million deal with Fox Sports in May 2022.

Although the seven-time Super Bowl champion has no broadcasting experience, his extensive knowledge of the game as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time will provide a unique perspective to audiences.

“He’s studying hard. He’s working on it,” Collinsworth, 65, said. “He’s done 1000 different practice games.”

A former NFL wide receiver, Collinsworth spent eight seasons in the league before transitioning to broadcasting. Since 2009, the 17-time Sports Emmy winner has appeared on “Sunday Night Football.”

“Tom is a great guy. He’s gonna be brilliant,” Collinsworth said.

Brady replaces Greg Olsen, who spent the last two seasons in Fox’s top NFL group alongside Kevin Burkhardt.

Olsen, a former NFL tight end, won the Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Personality/Event Analyst in May 2024 for his work. He will now be part of Fox’s No. 2 team with Joe Davis, with his salary dropping from $10 million to $3 million.

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.