One former Super Bowl winner-turned-color commentator is trying to help out the latest in line.
In an interview with Outkick, Joe Theismann advised Tom Brady to stay true to himself as he ventures to the broadcast booth.
“Be Tom Brady, don’t try and be somebody else. … That to me would probably be the biggest and best piece of advice,” Theismann said.
Theismann also suggested that Brady should be careful in going overboard with storytelling.
“Be the guy that has the knowledge about the game and then let the game tell the story,” Theismann added. “You embellish it a little bit, but you don’t tell the story — the game tells the story.”
The 74-year-old Theismann played for Washington from 1974-1985 before a broken leg suffered on a sack by Hall of Fame Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor infamously ended his career.
During his playing career, Theismann won the MVP award in 1983 and led Washington to its first Lombardi Trophy at the end of that campaign.
Subsequently, Theismann pivoted to broadcasting, even joining Frank Gifford on the call for Super Bowl 19 at the end of the 1984 season while still an active player.
Theismann ultimately worked for CBS and ESPN’s renditions of “Sunday Night Football” and “Monday Night Football,” last appearing on air in 2011.
Brady’s color commentary debut is as highly anticipated as any in recent memory because of his own allure and standing in the game.
The seven-time Super Bowl champ will team up with Kevin Burkhardt on Fox’s No. 1 broadcast team, replacing former NFL tight end Greg Olsen.
Olsen, who joined the booth in 2021, quickly found favor with football fans due to his ability to break down complicated concepts, integrate advanced statistics and predict accurately.
While alongside Curt Menefee and Joel Klatt during the UFL Championship on June 17, Brady was booed by fans in St. Louis.
Because Brady played as recently as 2022, is regarded as the best player ever and has ties as deep as anyone in the league, it will be fascinating to see how effectively he tows the line between objectivity and just saying everyone’s great on air.
Brady’s first taste of regular-season NFL commentating will come in Week 1 in Cleveland, when the Browns play host to the Dallas Cowboys.