On Super Bowl Sunday, Tom Brady will complete his first season as an analyst for the NFL on FOX. The erstwhile quarterback GOAT has hardly been a sacred cow to critics, meeting with mixed reviews for his performance this season. The criticism has ranged from justified to just plain mean, but in fact, Brady improved as the 2024 season progressed.
Many of Brady’s detractors compared his TV maiden voyage to that of Tony Romo who terrifically burst onto the broadcasting scene in 2017. Romo himself has drawn the ire of critics; many of whom feel he has slipped in performance since that sparkling rookie season with CBS.
Romo and Brady were front and center calling the AFC Championship and NFC Championship games respectively this past weekend, and while the pair of ex-quarterbacks are at quite different points in their analyst careers, it is worthwhile drawing some comparisons between the two in several areas.
This is not about deciding who is a better broadcaster. Romo gets that nod as he should, given his eight years of experience. Rather, it is a study of the craft and an overview of both talents, reflecting on their performances in the 2024 season.
Content
Both Romo and Brady are certified football gurus with a shared knack for seeing plays and telling viewers what went right or wrong on a given call. Over the years, Romo has been adept at illuminating even the most subtle errors causing a play or scheme to fail.
As a player, Brady saw all aspects of the field better than anyone in the history of the game. This gift has not withered as a broadcaster. Both analysts possess great offensive mindsets. Romo the quarterback clearly did not get enough credit for his intellect, often reduced to a mere gunslinger in the mode of Brett Favre. As a broadcaster, he is just the opposite, using intelligence more than instinct.
In terms of pure football knowledge on both the offensive and defensive sides, I’m going to give the knowledge edge to Brady. This may be expected given that Romo played 13 NFL seasons while Brady nearly doubled that playing 23 seasons.
Communication
No current color analyst communicates the intricacies and technical aspects of football better than Romo. He is the absolute best at breaking down complex football theory and presenting it to viewers in an easy to understand manner. Most importantly, when you watch and listen to Tony Romo, you are going to learn something that you previously did not know.
Romo is quite adept at taking in the whole field and, in the few moments he has between the end of one play and the start of another, telling viewers exactly what happened. He possesses a tight vocabulary of the game, and his analysis doesn’t just rehash the play, it reveals the play.
While Brady is the smartest guy in any football room, his number one priority as he moves forward as an analyst must be to improve the way he communicates this knowledge. The first step can be reduced to two words: Slow down. While Romo will dissect a play naming one or two things that occurred, Brady tries to jam four or five different thoughts into the short amount of airtime he has.
Let’s look at plays from last weekend’s games as examples. Kansas City‘s first touchdown of the AFC championship game featured a 12-yard run by Kareem Hunt. In describing the replay, Romo pointed out that KC’s right guard Trey Smith pulled for a block and tackle Jawaan Taylor sealed the edge creating a scoring lane for Hunt. In a very calm and clear manner, he highlighted and explained two key aspects that allowed the play to succeed.
Conversely, Brady’s nervous excitement was on display after Saquon Barkley scored the Eagles’ first touchdown in the NFC Championship tilt versus Washington. With a wide shot replay, Brady stumbled in his words a couple of times because he was overly hyped and thinking faster than he was talking.
He started his commentary saying the play was simple, and then mentioned a jet sweep and a cross crack – two descriptions that are anything but simple to the casual football fan. Brady then stated that Barkley was in space and mentioned the names of two Washington defenders who were not able to tackle Barkley.
Can you see the difference? Romo mentioned two parts of his play, while Brady mentioned six. Moreover, Brady told viewers what was happening while Romo explained why it happened. You can call this nitpicking, but it is this technical aspect of broadcasting that separates a decent color analyst from a great one.
Whether you are a player or a broadcaster, football is very much about tempo and timing. Brady has a lot to say about each play, but it is impossible to say everything at one interval. This is what Brady tries to do. His voice rises and his analysis, while sound, comes off as rushed and forced.
Collaboration
A solid broadcast team must jive together like a lyricist and musician. Romo and Brady are fortunate to work with two of the best football play by play announcers in the business in Jim Nantz and Kevin Burkhardt. Nantz does not possess the dramatic voice of Al Michaels, but his cerebral and deliberate commentary are reminiscent of such greats as Curt Gowdy.
Romo’s immediate success in the booth can be partly traced to the talent level and assistance of Nantz. Back in 2017, it was clear that they had done a lot of rehearsal work together. Burkhardt was faced with an entirely different situation being teamed with Brady. He was partnering with the single most decorated football player who ever lived – a man who set countless records and won seven Super Bowls.
Keep in mind that Brady was also replacing one of the best color analysts in the business in Greg Olsen. Burkhardt had to move from an experienced analyst to a total novice. What both Romo and Brady have done very well is take advice from people who know more about broadcasting than they do.
Burkhardt has worked hard to set Brady up and ask pertinent questions to bring out his partner’s best. There is a real trust and developing chemistry between the two of them. I like the interplay between Burkhardt and Brady both in pregame and during the game. It will only improve with time.
Comfort
Romo and Brady are the analysts on their respective network’s number one NFL broadcast team. This gig is not a beauty contest, but on air presence is part of the overall presentation. How Brady and Romo appear in pregame, in-game, and postgame conversations is crucial. Both men excel in this area, but I give a slight edge to Romo simply due to his more relaxed demeanor.
In pregame, Brady actually offers more in-depth specifics, while Romo’s thoughts are more generalized. Still, it is clear that this is new and unchartered territory for Brady. Let’s not forget that this is one of the most tightly-wound athletes in the history of sports. His intensity is the stuff of legend. This intensity, however, needs to be tempered as a game analyst.
When I watch Tom Brady, I see a guy who is not that far removed from being a player. He still gets pumped up and excited with his LFG attitude, but it comes off as nervous energy. Brady certainly has experience in front of the camera, but there is a difference being a color analyst as opposed to an interview subject, corporate spokesman, press conference, or studio commentator.
Romo has taken some criticism for his seemingly nonchalant approach, but I see it as a quiet confidence in knowing who you are and what you are about to say.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that Tom Brady wants to live where Tony Romo already resides. There are a lot of dudes sitting behind a bowl of Cheez-Its who think they can do what Brady and Romo do. They can’t. It’s a lot harder than it looks.
Being a color analyst at the highest level involves the highest level of content, communication, collaboration, and comfort. It is quite different from being in a huddle or a locker room. There’s no one to block for you or protect your blind side. The lights are bright, the cameras are rolling, and everyone is watching.
As a player, Tom Brady was the ultimate film rat, working his butt off to become the very best. With his singular work ethic, I have no doubt that he will do the same as a broadcaster. He can start by watching clips of Tony Romo.
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John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.
