Having plied his trade in the NFL for over two decades and achieved the type of legendary status that brings with it plenty of promotional opportunities, it’s fair to say that Tom Brady isn’t short on wealth.
The 44-year-old elected to retire after his Tampa Bay Buccaneers side failed to negotiate their way through the post-season but then decided to reverse his decision and return to the game a few weeks later.
Having returned to the game, there has been renewed interest in betting terms on Tampa making a run for the Super Bowl, having won it in Brady’s first season at the Raymond James Stadium. If you visit sidelines.io, you’ll see that the Bucs are high up in the betting with only the Buffalo Bills ahead in the NFL futures market.
It does seem as if Brady’s post-playing plans are firming up following his signing of a deal with Fox Sports. The seven-time Super Bowl winner has penned a contract that will earn him an astonishing $375 million to become their lead NFL analyst.
By all accounts, ESPN had also been pursuing Brady but lost out in a bidding war to Fox Sports, and now the question remains, when will he take up the role? Brady chose to retire at the end of last season and then changed his mind; perhaps this was because he wanted to go out with a bang and now a whimper?
Brady has one year left on his Tampa Bay contract, and there is talk of moves he might make on completion of that deal. The Miami Dolphins and the San Francisco 49ers have been mentioned in this regard, but if the star quarterback were to win the Super Bowl this year, he might feel that would be a logical point to truly call it quits?
As far as off-field activities Brady has his fingers in many pies and knows how to manage his brand well and commented via Twitter in relation to the deal he’s completed with Fox.
“Excited, but a lot of unfinished business on the field with the @Buccaneers #LFG,”
Indeed Brady will hope to complete his glittering NFL career in style, and he’s still very fit, and for his age, he is in super shape. Though he was unable to guide the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl last season, he still put in his best-ever numbers.
The deal represents a big win for Fox Sports who, which saw Troy Aikman and Joe Buck leave for ESPN a couple of months ago, and Brady is sure to be a big success as an analyst, not least because he has real star power, and communicates well and clearly, knows his stuff.
Next season will be Tom Brady’s 23 in the NFL, and clearly, after such a lengthy period at the top, one has to consider the motivations needed to soldier on. Playing top-level American football for such a period of time clearly takes it out of you, even if you are as committed and physically fit as the former New England Patriots man.
When Brady left New England for Tampa, many would have felt that he would take a while to make an impact but picking up the Super Bowl in his first season when the franchise hadn’t won a title in almost two decades goes a long way to show just how incredible a player he truly is.
