Bob Raissman: Tom Brady retires from football again with historic TV deal in back pocket

If at some point during his Wednesday retirement announcement, it would not have been surprising if Tom Brady said: “And now it’s on to my next adventure as an analyst for Fox Sports!”

Yet Brady never mentioned what apparently is his TV future. It’s no secret that in May 2022 Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch announced the network had signed Brady to fill the seat of Troy Aikman who split to ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” where he was eventually joined by his veteran partner Joe Buck. Brady’s Fox contract is reportedly worth $375 million over 10 years.

For that kind of “retirement” scratch, and a primo gig, it would have also been appropriate for Brady to alert the Free World of his next stop, a TV destination. Unless he’s having second thoughts about working as Fox’s No. 1 game analyst. Or unless Brady is not sure he’s ready to start the gig next season.

There are more than a few interested voices who believe Brady should make a clean, albeit temporary, break from the world of football. And that includes TV work. One industry source said this is more of an important “lifestyle” decision for Brady.

“He should do it for himself and his children,” the source said. “The more time he takes to make the transition, chances are he will find a lifestyle that benefits all involved. If that means not traveling to work in the Fox booth for at least a year, well, the microphone will still be there when he’s ready.”

The network doesn’t have to worry about anyone forgetting Brady should he sit out the 2023 season. If nothing else, his magnified absence will build on the mystique already surrounding him. And it’s doubtful Fox suits would mind deferring the $35 million annual payment they would owe him for next season.

Also, anticipation would build over when Brady would start. All the comments and commentary on how Brady will do in the booth would continue. It’s amazing how many media pundits already “know” Brady will flop. They make the prediction with no evidence, unless they have discovered some secret Tom Brady audition video.

Anyway, it’s not like Fox would have to scramble to find a replacement for Brady in 2023. It already is using Greg Olsen on its No. 1 team with play-by-play voice Kevin Burkhardt, who will retain that gig when, and if, Brady starts working.

While the non-buzz team lacks big game voices, Olsen and Burkhardt have developed a following based on their chemistry and insight. They are also benefitting from a Brady backlash.

Olsen has been characterized as Brady’s seat warmer, which has cast him in the everyman, underdog role. He’s kind of like the backup quarterback (Olsen was a three-time Pro Bowl tight end who played for 14 seasons) who fans pull for.

Burkhardt and Olsen will work Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Ariz. There has also been plenty of speculation about whether Brady will appear on Fox’s Super pregame or postgame show.

Unless his starting date at the network has been announced prior to the lights being turned off on the Super Bowl production, Brady will continue providing a healthy buzz around Fox’s NFL coverage.

Without having ever entered the broadcast booth.

Talk about rubbing it in.

Talk about shifting into agony overkill.

CBS Sports decided it would take the low road during the Chiefs’ celebration following their AFC title win over Cincinnati.

It wasn’t enough for CBS’ cameras to zoom in once for a closeup of Bengals’ linebacker Joseph Ossai sitting on the bench crying following his crucial mistake, hitting Patrick Mahomes well out of bounds and getting flagged for unnecessary roughness.

The penalty, with eight seconds left in regulation, lead to Harrison Butker’s 45-yard game-winning field goal.

For reasons known only to them, the CBS crew felt it necessary to air multiple shots of a despondent Ossai, pulling his helmet down over his face trying to hide his tears. Guess those calling these shots in the truck, at that particular moment, didn’t care much about the despondent Ossai or his dignity.

As soon as the Empire State Building went green, in honor of Philly’s NFC Championship win over the quarterback-less 49ers, it was only a matter of time before Valley of the Stupid Gasbags, and commentators from other precincts would express outrage over this “traitorous” act by ESB management.

The VOS hubbub, while moronic, was predictable. The real desperadoes in this scenario are politicians who couldn’t run their mouths fast enough to pander to their Giants/Jets constituency by condemning ESB management’s choice of color.

Don’t these politicians (city council people, etc.) have more serious issues to deal with? Education? Street Crime? Homelessness? Midtown Ghost Town? Yet they still find time to waste whining over the color of lights on a landmark building.

In the aftermath of James (Guitar Jimmy) Dolan’s recent interview with WFAN’s Craig Carton/Evan Roberts there is one loose end to consider.

While listening to Dolan answer questions about MSG’s facial recognition policy, the arena’s liquor situation, the Knicks and Rangers, we wondered why he selected WFAN to do his state of MSG interview? After all, Dolan banned former FAN (and now CBS Sports Radio) Gasbag Maggie Gray from MSG and halted advertising MSG events on the station.

Also, Dolan is in business with FAN’s competitor, ESPN-98.7, the radio home of the Knicks and Rangers. In the past when Dolan wanted to deliver the word, he did it on 98.7′s “The Michael Kay Show.” Could it be Dolan wanted to be on C/R because it gets higher ratings than the Kay soiree?

More likely this situation can be attributed to Dolan revealing Carton is a “friend and we do talk.” And Carton saying Dolan reached out to him offering support when the FAN Talkie was released from prison in 2020.

Sorry, but when we heard about CBS Sports executives holding an “intervention” with Tony Romo in his Dallas home, the vision planted in our brain was more “séance.” It included Romo, CBS suits and Margo the Medium who, in an attempt to straighten things out, summoned John Madden from the spiritual world. The vision faded with Madden repeating the same phrase over-and-over again: “Ten years, $180 million, oy vey.” …The images of 49ers QB’s going down during the NFC title tilt makes us wonder how long the NFL can risk wrecking the product should this ever became a trend. On his YES podcast, Russ Salzberg offered a solution. He said the NFL should allow all teams to dress a third QB each week for emergency situations. The move would be separate from all other roster moves.

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DUDE OF THE WEEK: TRAVIS KELCE

For understanding the value of concise and catchy soundbites. The Chiefs Super Bowl-bound TE could be a TV star in the making. When it comes to gabbing, his brother Jason, the Eagles center, is no slouch either.

DWEEB OF THE WEEK: JIM BOEHEIM

Syracuse’s condescending hoops coach was at it again Monday after his team lost to Virginia. After a reporter asked him about the status of forward Bennie Williams, who wasn’t at the game, Boeheim asked: “Is that your question? Is that the most important question you have?”

DOUBLE TALK

What Robert Kraft said: “We will do everything in our power to bring him [Tom Brady] back [to Foxborough], have him sign off as a Patriot, and find ways to honor him for many years to come.”

What Robert Kraft meant to say: “We will find ways to use Tom to sell more Patriots tickets for many years to come.”