Patriots 
Tom Brady was on the call for Fox during Super Bowl LIX. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
By Conor Ryan
February 10, 2025 | 8:50 AM
Tom Brady closed out his first season as a broadcaster with Fox on Sunday — serving as the color analyst for the network’s call of Super Bowl LIX between the Eagles and Chiefs in New Orleans.
It’s been an up-and-down campaign in the broadcast booth for Brady, who inked a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox after officially announcing his retirement after 23 seasons in the NFL.
But the Patriots legend held his own in the booth alongside lead play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Burkhardt — showing a bit more personality and willingness to share insight over the highs and lows he faced on football’s highest stage as a player.
Here are some of the top highlights from Brady’s performance on the mic at the Superdome.
In what became a regular theme during his call on Sunday, Brady spent a hefty portion of his cold open alongside Burkhardt discussing his own experiences playing in the Super Bowl.
Sunday marked a full-circle experience for Brady, who won his first Super Bowl with the Patriots in an upset victory over the Rams in New Orleans during Super Bowl XXXVI.
“I was very fortunate 23 years ago to be in this locker room, getting ready for my first Super Bowl,” Brady said. “And I didn’t understand the enormity of the situation. I actually fell asleep and took a nap in the pregame.
“And fast forward, many years later, in my last Super Bowl, playing for the Bucs — I couldn’t sleep the night before the game. I was so anxious, I was so nervous. So we’ll see how the experience factors into today’s game.”
One of the knocks against Brady this season has been an unwillingness to dole out criticism on the mic — a flaw further magnified by the restrictions now put in place against him now that he’s a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
But Brady couldn’t hold back his frustrations following a few controversial calls during Sunday’s game — starting when a fourth-down conversion by A.J. Brown was taken off the board after the officials whistled the Eagles wideout for offensive pass interference.
“Don’t like that one bit. This is too critical of a game,” Brady said. “The hand fighting is going on down the field. … You let the players play. It should be decided on the field. Don’t like that call to start the game.”
Brady’s frustration with the officiating continued in the first quarter, with Kansas City cornerback Trent McDuffie whistled for an unnecessary roughness call against Philly tight end Dallas Goedert.
“Goedert was going up for it. Trent McDuffie was too. Looked somewhat incidental. Ah, not much there either. I don’t like that one either,” Brady said. “I just think you throw the ball high in the defense and he barely gets hit in the face. I just feel like these big games always come down to one or two calls.
Brady also disagreed with this call against the Chiefs.
“I don’t like that one, either…Look, I was on the end of the Tuck Rule and I was glad Twitter wasn’t around then.”pic.twitter.com/sYunedbrZN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 10, 2025
Acknowledging the critical calls that can decide a game — or even help establish a dynasty — Brady made note of the infamous “Tuck Rule” game against the Raiders during the AFC Divisional Round in January 2002.
“Look, I was on the end of the Tuck Rule and I was glad Twitter wasn’t around then,” Brady joked.
As the Eagles’ D line feasted against Patrick Mahomes all night long, Brady had to revisit the play of Philadelphia veteran Brandon Graham — who strip-sacked Brady in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LII to snuff out any hope of a late-game comeback by the Patriots.
“I’m sorry to bring up bad memories, I know that’s not a good player for you,” Burkhardt told Brady as the cameras focused on Graham.
“I mean, Brandon Graham — really? You’re going to bring up … No, he’s actually my fellow [Michigan] Wolverine and just a great friend of mine,” Brady said. “For guys that make big-time plays in the Super Bowl, all the respect to him.”
As was the case all season long, there were a few missteps in Brady’s call on Sunday — especially in regards to his timing and delivery.
While giving a breakdown of Jalen Hurts’ interception early in the second quarter, Brady’s analysis was cut off by a commercial break, prompting him to resume on the other side of the broadcast.
Brady found several instances to deliver some jokes during the broadcast, be it challenging Burkhardt to a karaoke version of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” or acknowledging the Patriots’ struggles with finding the end zone in the first quarter of Super Bowls.
But the ex-Patriots QB also managed to land a dig in against comedian and movie star Kevin Hart after the Philadelphia native was spotted watching the game and cheering on the Eagles.
“Kevin Hart’s here? “How do the cameras find Kevin Hart?” Brady asked, referencing Hart’s 5-foot-5 height.
“Well, it depends on the day, I guess,” Burkhardt replied.
“Kevin, I love you. You took so many shots at me in May. I’m coming right back at you,” Brady added.
Brady’s comments are in reference to Hart’s commentary during the former QB’s Netflix roast — with the comic twisting the knife over Brady’s divorce from his ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen.
Brady did side with the officiating in the fourth quarter after JuJu Smith-Schuster was whistled for offensive pass interference in the end zone.
“That was a pick. … Normally I would be yelling at the referee,” Brady said. “I was pretty much known for that.
“You showed emotion in games? I never really noticed that — all those games I did with you playing,” Burkhardt replied.
Tom Brady: That was a pick.Kevin Burkhardt: You AGREE with the call.
Brady: Normally I would be yelling at the referee. I was pretty much known for that.pic.twitter.com/IUfHGJiR9T
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 10, 2025
Brady then pivoted to former NFL ref Mike Pereira, who is relied upon during Fox broadcasts to break down controversial rulings on the field.
“Mike, how does it feel when a referee is getting yelled at? It only happened to me once or twice,” Brady said. “Do those guys get offended at all?
“It just depends on who does it,” Pereira said. “You know, some people we ignore. They end up in a booth somewhere calling a Super Bowl. But when they’re playing, we end up ignoring it.”
“Hey, I think I only had two unsportsmanlike conducts in my career, and I’m actually pretty proud of that — the fact that I had two,” Brady replied.
After all of the talk of Mahomes and the Chiefs challenging Brady and the Patriots’ reign atop the NFL, Brady had several opportunities to twist the knife in what ended up being a lopsided loss for Kansas City on Sunday.
But in the closing minutes of Sunday’s 40-22 win for the Eagles, Brady opted to prop up Mahomes and the two-time defending champions as their quest for the first three-peat in NFL history was coming to a close.
“I think about the three losses probably more than I think about the seven wins,” Brady said when asked of the Chiefs’ dire circumstances in the fourth quarter. “It hurts to lose this game. We lost to the Giants in 2007. That was 17 years ago. We were on the precipice of history, and we faced a Giants team that played their hearts out that day and beat us.
“I still haven’t really lived it down, because you care so deeply. And I know that this Chiefs team does as well. Patrick is the ultimate competitor. The reality of a loss in this game is you don’t ever get over them.”
When Brady has been at his best in the booth, it’s often featured him scrolling through his Rolodex of football memories and sharing with the audience what is going through his mind during critical moments of games.
As one of the few football players who can relate with a franchise QB like Mahomes who has both triumphed and lost on the Super-Bowl stage, Brady’s comments made for a fitting way to cap off another impressive season for the Chiefs.
It’s the highest of highs when you’re trying to win and do something historic in the NFL, and unfortunately, it’s the lowest of lows,” Brady said.” I remember when we lost to the Giants in 2007, I got on the bus after the game – I absolutely believed 100 percent that we were going to win, and it was just devastating.
“I couldn’t speak for the rest of the night. … I just remember waking up the next morning and I thought, ‘That’s a nightmare. That’s a nightmare. That game didn’t happen. I was dreaming, and we lost badly, but we haven’t actually played the game yet.’ It’s a difficult feeling to have. But if there’s anybody that can rebound, it’s Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, this organization.”
During the postgame festivities following Philly’s win, Brady congratulated Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts on the victory — while also warning him to keep a close watch on all of his Super Bowl gear.
“It’s going to take a while to process it,” Brady told Hurts. “You’re going to wake up tomorrow morning and you’re going to feel so good. What I want you to feel good about is — don’t let that jersey out of your sight. I had a few stolen over the years, so keep track of that. It’s going to be memorable down the road.
“ I’m so happy for you. Congratulations to you and your team. You guys played so well all season long, and there couldn’t be a better Super Bowl champion than the Philadelphia Eagles, and you led them to victory.”
Brady’s comments are in reference to two of his game-worn jerseys from Super Bowl LI against Atlanta and Super Bowl XLIX against the Seahawks that were stolen before eventually being recovered in Mexico in March 2017.
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