Welcome back to “On the Air,” in which Sports Media Watch Podcast co-host Armand Broady will offer in-depth breakdowns of broadcasters, on-air performance and career journeys, plus chronicle broader trends in the industry.
Before the start of the 2024 NFL season, sports media members spent hours predicting how well Tom Brady would perform in his broadcast debut. Would he call games with a Romo-like excitement? Would he be direct like Troy Aikman, folksy like Cris Collinsworth, or studious like Greg Olsen?
We got our answer pretty early. Brady looked and sounded like a rookie. He was nervous and unsure, often awkwardly fumbling through his analysis of Fox’s Cowboys-Browns broadcast, leaving partner Kevin Burkhardt to do much of the heavy lifting. That continued through the season, leading to an unmemorable Super Bowl broadcast.
His Week 1 was vastly different this time around. The hype and hullabaloo has simmered and, instead of a 4:25 ET game featuring one of the league’s most iconic franchises, Brady opened the season with an early window game between the lowly Giants and the promising Commanders.
While the quality of his work is still not at lead analyst level, Brady is improving.
His performance during Sunday’s broadcast was one of the strongest of his young TV career. The seven-time Super Bowl champion is getting into a better rhythm as a game analyst. Last year, Brady often delivered hollow commentary, leaning on cliches and generalities.
Some of the awkwardness is still there, but on Sunday, Brady knew when it was his turn to speak and he had something to say. He is noticeably stronger on replays, especially coming out of a commercial break. One example of that came a minute into the second quarter. After a Giants field goal, Brady pointed out with the telestrator how Commanders LB Bobby Wagner blew up a Giants pick play by playing under the pick instead of over it. He explained it succinctly and cogently. It was good television.
Brady’s exclamatory “BOOM!”” while narrating a Cam Skattebo block was also a highlight, as was his reference to the Jalen Carter-Dak Prescott exchange during last Thursday’s Cowboys-Eagles game.
One of his weaknesses has been sharing opinions and observations about players and coaches between plays, but Brady was better in this area on Sunday. One of the keys to Brady’s improved dialogue with Burkhardt is his ability to attend production meetings. During Sunday’s game, Brady referenced conversations with coaches and players. These meetings will strengthen Brady’s ability to carry conversations without feeling pressure to constantly offer next level analysis or football jargon.
Tom Brady will likely never have the success in the broad booth that he had on the field. He won’t wow viewers with his charisma. But his performance on Sunday suggests he’s on the track to becoming a solid analyst.
Plus: Can Ryan Clark clean up his act?
ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark has become more belligerent of late, engaging in personal (and awkward) conflicts with other sports media personalities. Take his May 2025 feud with former ESPN colleague Robert Griffin III. After a contentious WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever, Griffin posted on May 17, “Angel Reese HATES Caitlin Clark.”
Clark added fuel to Griffin’s controversial post, bringing up Griffin’s wife and children.
Clark said, “If you’re RG3, when is the last time within your household you’ve had a conversation about what (Angel Reese is) dealing with? You haven’t been able to do that because in both of your marriages, you’ve been married to white women.” He later apologized for his remarks.
Now, Clark has again made headlines for another uncomfortable dispute with a sports media contemporary. On Friday, Clark and ESPN commentator Peter Schrager were on the “Get Up” desk talking about the Cowboys-Eagles week 1 NFL game.
“That’s the non-player in you,” Clark declared dismissively after Schrager made a comparison between Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb and Eagles WR A.J. Brown.
Schrager responded, “Don’t belittle me like that. I can come and say as three ex-players are saying one thing, and give an alternative perspective.”
Clark followed, “Peter, what I need for you to do is not get mad and let me finish.”
Clark’s shot at Schrager was low and it inflamed a needlessly tense exchange. Later that day, he apologized on social media.
“Today, I had an interaction with my colleague [Peter Schrager] both on and off the air that I regret,”” Clark posted. “I have apologized to Peter and taken accountability with ESPN leadership. I value working with Peter and look forward to this season. My focus will remain on professionalism, teamwork, and being a better teammate moving forward.””
While he’s often leaned into social commentary on platforms like X and Instagram — angering one side or another — Clark’s recent injudicious and improper behavior on-camera and on social media has become an unfortunate trend.
Clark became a media darling because he offered thoughtful, colorful commentary.Now, he must return to why he became an award-winning analyst. It is time for Clark to put down the bluster and recommit to more levelheaded commentary. If these unprofessional exchanges continue, ESPN will be forced to make some uncomfortable decisions about one of its star football commentators.
