Tom Brady is in his third season as the lead NFL analyst for Fox Sports, and it sure seems like he’s finally getting comfortable with his relatively new role in the broadcast booth.
Such ease was on display in Sunday’s Commanders-Cowboys game, when the former QB went viral on social media with two very edgy calls, including one that the folks at the FCC might not have loved.
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That one came late in the second quarter, when Commanders QB Jaylen Daniels hurt his elbow while falling to the ground after taking a snap from center. Brady sounded like every fan when he blurted out, “Oh, s---!“ while watching a replay of the injury.
#Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has suffered an elbow injury.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 20, 2026
Tom Brady: “Oh sh*t.” pic.twitter.com/loqd5r51zc
Brady’s bosses at Fox might not have liked that, either. Or maybe they did, because the guy they gave $375 million to a few years ago is now apparently feeling free enough to say whatever is on his mind (though cursing on the biggest broadcast of the day is probably a bit much).
Brady’s second viral call came later in the game, when he described Dak Prescott’s long pass to CeeDee Lamb as a “piss missile.”
WOW! What a throw by Dak to CeeDee.
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 20, 2026
📺: FOX/FOX One pic.twitter.com/Enu7AaL43S
Again, that’s not a description we would have heard from any of the legendary NFL announcers who preceded Brady, but it is nice to hear arguably the greatest quarterback of all time describe a pass the way you’d hear one of your buddies doing so at your local watering hole.
Two of his most famous former teammates, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, loved what they saw from Brady on Sunday.
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“It shows that he’s getting super comfortable in there, which is great for everyone in football,” Gronkowski said.
“Shout out Brady for giving us some entertainment, I like that,” Edelman added.
“Thank you, Tom. You’re a good guy,” Gronkowski joked. “Finally, you entertain Jules and I. We’ve been entertaining you our whole career.”
Looks like @TomBrady is getting comfy on the call 🤣@RobGronkowski and @Edelman11 say "thanks" for the entertainment pic.twitter.com/DcszMAEKHl
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 21, 2026
Brady’s first year in the booth was a rough one, and understandably so. He had all the pressure in the world on him as he tried to tackle his new gig, and fans were not afraid to rip him for sounding too rehearsed or too reliant on clichés. Viewers wanted to hear Brady talking like the guy who was fearless on the biggest stages during his legendary playing career. They wanted to hear the emotions he showed every week while leading the Patriots and Buccaneers to big seasons and Super Bowl wins.
And now we’re getting that.
Sunday’s broadcast might have gone a few steps too far, and Brady probably regrets swearing on live TV. But it’s clear that he’s ready to keep growing in his role and is having fun with his job, which makes him much more enjoyable to listen to each week.
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