Tom Brady is finally hitting his stride in the booth. It took the greatest quarterback in NFL history nearly two years to breakthrough as one of the best broadcasters in the game but he broke through on Sunday.
His analysis presents a stark contrast to Tony Romo.
A lot of people were quick to point and laugh at Fox for offering such a lucrative contract to an unproven color commentator, and making him part of the A-team for NFL broadcasts. Those people should instead laugh at CBS for getting stuck with a guy who most people would rather mute.
Tony Romo is on the decline.
It was extremely refreshing to hear Romo on the broadcast when he first signed on to become a color analyst in 2017. He was excited to be there.
Tony Romo often provided insight that could not be heard anywhere else, characterized by his ability to predict a play before it happened, explain technical offensive schemes in a way that viewers at home can understand, and enthusiastic breakdowns of the plays as they unfold in real time. His excitement for football was perhaps his biggest defining character. Viewers at home could feel his joy.
It did not matter whether it was a blowout or a one-possession game with two minutes remaining. Romo always seemed like he was enjoying football, which was contagious. And, every so often, he even landed a good one-liner.
I don’t know what happened but Romo has very quickly become insufferable.
The 45-year-old often ruins the broadcast with his weird filler noises, needless over-analysis, clear lack of preparation, subjectivity and factual inaccuracy. His performance at the AFC Wild Card game between the Jaguars and Bills was truly one of his worst. Jim Nantz is the saving grace.
Tom Brady is on the rise.
CBS signed Tony Romo to a new contract in 2020, worth $18 million per year. Tom Brady signed with Fox in 2022 on a deal worth $37.5 million per year. He is the highest-paid sports broadcaster of all-time.
The investment did not quite pay off at first.
Brady was pretty awkward in the booth and lacked charisma. His critics called him “distracting.”
And, to add another wrinkle to the mix, Brady was at the center of controversy due to his perceived conflict of interest as a part owner of the Raiders. He ultimately dismissed the concerns and defended his ethics. The backlash has mostly faded, in large part because Las Vegas was so bad, but it could present additional concerns during the organization’s inevitable rebuild.
In the meantime, Tom Brady is showing great improvement as a color analyst.
His performance during the NFC Wild Card between the 49ers and Eagles was one of his best. Especially when he took a moment to break down the proper technique for throwing a football in heavy wind.
How to throw the football in heavy wind: Presented by @TomBrady 🐐 pic.twitter.com/jCwWTHKcVJ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 11, 2026
This is the kind of thing viewers want. The play-by-play guys can tell the story of the game. The color guys are there to supplement their storytelling with added insight. I want the former NFL players like Brady to turn back the veil on things that I might not understand as a fan.
Have I thought about throwing a football in the wind? Sure. Have I thought about how to throw a football in the wind? Not until Tom Brady explained the nuance.
As Romo very quickly becomes insufferable, Brady is very quickly becoming one of the best in the game. Fox absolutely nailed it with the decision to hire Greg Olsen. It looks like Fox went two-for-two with the seven-time Super Bowl champion.