Former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was a guest on the Pat McAfee show on Tuesday. He was asked about several topics, including his upcoming broadcasting gig, his thoughts on the Patriots, and much more.
Newly appointed head coach Jerod Mayo and Tom Brady spent eight seasons together. Mayo left quite an impact on Brady, who often referred to him as Jerod Belichick.
“Jerod is a great leader, captain, and friend; I think he had tremendous success in football and then had success in other parts of his life when he retired and came back into coaching,” via AtoZ Sports’ Sophie Weller. “I think it is great for the NFL and the Patriots.”
The Patriots drafted Mayo in 2008 with the 10th overall pick. Mayo quickly became a locker-room favorite, and it long until Mayo became a captain.
“He’s got a great understanding of how things must be done,” Brady said. “I think Jerod does an incredible job relating to everybody in the locker room, all the coaches, and I think he’ll do a great job.”
The 37-year old coach will try to turn the ship and return the Patriots to the postseason. It won’t be easy with the Patriots finishing 4-13 in 2023.
Also, Brady mentioned that Patriots players didn’t use the term the “Patriot Way” often, with Brady admitting he’s never used that term in his life.
“I’ve never used that term in my entire life,” Brady said. “I think when people say it, I’m always like, ‘What’s the Patriot Way’? It sounds like the title of a book.”
Brady then emphasized that it was always doing things the “right” way.
“I think what we tried to do was, we tried to do things the right way. I think we tried to practice and prepare the right way. What happened on game day was ultimately a reflection of what we practiced,” said Brady.
The future Hall-of-Fame quarterback confirmed he will join Fox Sports next season and work alongside Kevin Burkhardt. Although Brady has spent most of his retirement relaxing, the 46-year-old plans to start his broadcasting gig next season. Last year, Brady signed a 10-year, $375M deal with Fox, which caused plenty of speculation.
“Next year, I’m going to be calling a Super Bowl for FOX, which will be incredible,” Brady told McAfee. “I’ve been working hard on my FOX broadcast opportunity, which I’m super excited about.”
With Brady taking over as Fox Sports’ No.1 broadcaster, that means current analyst Greg Olsen will be demoted. The former All-Pro tight end has been popular among the public this season, and the move sparks criticism among many. However, Brady praised Olsen on ESPN, embracing the challenge.
“I think Greg’s done an incredible job. I have so much respect for him. How he approaches his job, he’s super prepared in what he does,” Brady told McAfee. “I think he does an incredible job every time he’s on. I love listening to him. And I’m just gonna go in there and do the best I can do with my perspective.”
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
