Tom Brady has opted against an immediate move into an NFL broadcasting career after retiring last week.
The 45-year-old called time on his 23-year career in the NFL, this time for good, following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ wildcard play-off defeat to the Dallas Cowboys.
And despite Brady holding a lucrative 10-year deal with Fox to move into the booth, the seven-time Super Bowl champion is taking his time before embracing the new challenge.
“I think for me absolutely,” Brady told Colin Cowherd during Monday’s episode of “The Herd” on FS1 and Fox Sports Radio while discussing the need to “exhale” following his retirement.
“Decompression’s important. You’re on this kind of really crazy treadmill/hamster wheel for a long time — loving the moment, loving the journey at the same time. It’s a daily fight. You wake up every day — just like you do and I have an appreciation for so many people that are so committed every day to showing up to put their max effort into their life and their career.
“I think for me, I want to be great at what I do. And even talking last week with the people at Fox Sports and the leadership there, allowing me to start my FOX opportunity in the fall of 2024 is something that’s great for me.”
Brady is keen to learn his new craft before being installed as the network’s top analyst at the start of the season after next in September 2024.
“Take some time to learn, become great at what I want to do, become great at thinking about the opportunity and making sure I don’t rush into anything,” he added.
“I wanted to be fully committed and I never wanted to let people down. I think my biggest motivator was that. Even in the future I want to be great at what I do and I think that takes some time and strategizing and learning and growing and evolving.”
Brady is being tipped to eventually link up with commentator Kevin Burkhardt on Fox's top team.
Burkhardt and Greg Olsen will be on the call for their first Super Bowl on Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles.
It will be the network’s 10th Super Bowl and Brady could eventually land his first in the booth at Super Bowl 59, with Fox holding the rights for the New Orleans spectacle during the 2024 season.
Brady is not expected to be part of Fox's pregame coverage on Sunday.
