Tom Brady has settled into being just another NFL broadcaster

There’s a reason why it seemed so shocking when Fox first announced that Tom Brady would be joining its top NFL booth.

After all, it’s not often that a broadcaster overshadows the games he covers.

And that’s largely how Brady’s first season in the broadcast booth unfolded, with his star power adding a unique — and at times uncomfortable — dynamic to the games he was calling. Sure, it didn’t help that the 7-time Super Bowl champion was uneven in his new role. But it was undoubtedly odd to watch a Super Bowl where one of the key storylines had nothing to do with the players on the field.

Despite some speculation to the contrary, Brady did, in fact, return to Fox for a second season, where his performance figured to once again be put under a microscope. But through the first two weeks of the 2025 campaign, the 48-year-old has largely avoided the spotlight. And while plenty can change between now and the NFC Championship Game, it’s also fair to wonder whether that will be the new status quo.

Brady’s assignments haven’t helped, as he called a regionalized broadcast of the Washington Commanders’ lackluster victory over the New York Giants in Week 1 before getting the high-profile Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles showdown in Week 2. The Dallas Cowboys’ overtime victory over the Giants running long, however, meant that most viewers didn’t even see Brady until halftime of the Super Bowl rematch, with even his mid-game breakdown being overshadowed by the Fox NFL Sunday crew also being in Kansas City.

None of that is a reflection on Brady’s actual performance, which most seem to agree has improved in Year 2. Troy Aikman’s spot as the top NFL color commentator isn’t going to be threatened anytime soon, but the Michigan alum certainly seems more comfortable and less eager to cram as much information as he can into each point he’s making.

But regardless of how much Brady has or hasn’t progressed, perhaps the most jarring aspect of all this is the slight buzz that now appears to be surrounding his presence in the booth. A year ago, complaints and occasional praise regarding his calls seemed to accompany every broadcast he was a part of. Now, even social media posts seeking fan reactions to his performances receive minimal responses.

It’s a welcome departure from his debut season, in which Brady’s mere presence made him the center of attention. But now that we’re all numb to the greatest quarterback of all time’s new career, he seemingly blends into the broadcasts in a manner that’s far less distracting than it was during even last season’s Super Bowl.

It appears to have been a positive for Brady, too, as evidenced by his postgame hit with the Fox NFL Sunday crew following the Eagles’ win on Sunday. Especially compared to his rookie broadcasting campaign, the 3-time NFL MVP seemed much more natural throughout the segment, providing his analysis in both an articulate and relatable manner.

Brady won’t be able to stay under the radar forever, nor is that what Fox likely wants from an analyst, currently two years into a 10-year, $375 million deal. But through the first two weeks of Year 2, less has been more when it comes to the entire experiment, and it will be worth monitoring how much he’s able to improve between now and his inevitable return to the spotlight later this season.