Tom Brady is set for his first Super Bowl as an announcer, and it’s only fitting that he’ll have the chance to call history.
The NFL and Fox have taken the gloves off, with The Athletic reporting that the league is loosening Brady’s broadcast restrictions for Super Bowl LIX. Brady will now be allowed to meet with players and coaches from the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles ahead of the game, though he won’t be attending team practices.
But don’t mistake access for allegiance.
Even with history on the line, Brady’s loyalties still lie elsewhere — he’s a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, and let’s not forget, the seven-time Super Bowl champion doesn’t have a three-peat to his name.
That said, on the Let’s Go! Podcast, Brady made it clear where he stands, emphasizing his focus on the game rather than any personal stake — no matter the history that could potentially be tied to his Super Bowl debut as a rookie announcer following an uneven season.
“Well, I’m broadcasting the game, so I don’t really have a rooting interest per se,” Brady said, as covered by NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk. “The only thing I root for in these situations are great games. I will say if the Chiefs win, I will be very happy for them. I mean, what they’ve achieved is unmatched. And I think that’s cool because people always hated on us for so many years. And I didn’t understand it because all I did was like, we try to do things the right way, we try to go out there and compete for our job and win. And there’s an excellence that I appreciate about people who are doing other things at really high levels because you understand the commitment that it takes for them to do what they’re doing.
“And to be in this country and to not cheer for excellence is beyond me… It’s incredible to see this team withstand all the adversities they faced over the course of not just this season or last season the year before; they just plowed on, nothing’s distracted them. They’ve just continued to push forward and win a lot of games… It’s gonna be a terrific game because there’s a lot on the line for both teams.”
There’ll be a lot on the line for Brady, as well.
And while he’s grown into the role leading up to the Super Bowl, inconsistencies have marred his first season as an announcer. With a chance to make history, this game could be when Brady fully embraces his new career path.