NEWSLETTER
The NFL broadcast landscape continues to move this offseason.
Tom Brady to Join FOX … Eventually
The first thing I laid eyes on this morning after waking up was the news that Tom Brady was joining FOX Sports … and for a couple of minutes, I read it as if Brady was joining FOX Sports immediately, making him once again retired. Thankfully, once I was fully awake, I re-read the Schefter tweet and realized that Tom Brady was joining FOX Sports whenever he decides to retire from football (again).
Brady will, at some point, join FOX as their lead NFL analyst and call games with Kevin Burkhardt:
FOX Sports: “Tom will not only call our biggest NFL games with Kevin Burkhardt, but will also serve as an ambassador for us, particularly with respect to client and promotional initiatives.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 10, 2022
Tom Brady’$ Media Takeover and Other Bears Bulletshttps://t.co/CxB3Vu4T0H pic.twitter.com/Cy1TJkGWZU
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) May 10, 2022
Brady tweeted about the news this morning, stating that he was excited about the opportunity but had plenty of unfinished business on the field first:
Excited, but a lot of unfinished business on the field with the @Buccaneers #LFG https://t.co/FwKlQp02Hi
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) May 10, 2022
The news of Brady eventually heading to FOX comes in the wake of an arms race for broadcast talent by the major players and some new ones like Amazon (who will hold the rights to TNF). Al Michaels left NBC to join Amazon’s new NFL production, and Joe Buck and Troy Aikman ditched FOX to take over the Monday Night Football broadcast at ESPN.
There are also rumors that Richard Sherman is in talks with Amazon for a role on their NFL crew this season:
Sources: All-Pro CB Richard Sherman is deep in talks with Amazon for a key role in their programming this coming season. He’ll stay in shape for a possible NFL opportunity, but as of now, all eyes on his broadcasting future.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 9, 2022
The landscape of the NFL broadcast is getting a significant make-over this offseason, and it’ll get another important addition when some of the current greats decide to hang them up for good.
NFL Schedule Leaks
I’ll preface all of this by saying how ridiculous it is that the NFL is turning the schedule release into a week-long event. Money talks, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Anywho, we’re slowly getting some nuggets of information on some of the marquee games around the NFL next season.
Here’s what we know now, according to Field Yates on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1523995262657695744?s=20&t=bFDr3EtVR9eTcVKE1awEMg
We’ve got a Monday Night Football doubleheader in Week 2 for the first time I can remember. I’m not sure if it is indeed the first time, but I don’t remember an MNF double-header beyond Week 1. The Titans will visit Josh Allen and the Bills in the early slate, and the Vikings and Eagles will play the late game in Philly.
We’ve also learned that the Broncos and Rams will square off on Christmas Day in Los Angeles, with the broadcast going to CBS and Nickelodeon. Slime Time on Christmas Day, what a way to sell the NFL to the next generation:
SLIME TIME ON CHRISTMAS?!?! 🎄✨@Broncos vs. @RamsNFL is getting the @Nickelodeon treatment on Christmas Day this season!
📺: 2022 NFL Schedule Release — Thursday at 8pm ET on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/roJw7FoNgO
— NFL (@NFL) May 10, 2022
Do you think MLB could take some notes? Maybe a slime time instructional broadcast for Saturday afternoon games, something, anything really…
Rams Top USA Today’s Post-Draft Power Rankings
The defending champs remain on top in USA Today’s latest NFL power rankings, and you’re not going to like where the Bears ended up:
How did the #NFLDraft affect the league's haves and have-nots? @ByNateDavis with some fresh power rankings: https://t.co/s8iNhz5AZC
— USA TODAY NFL (@usatodaynfl) May 5, 2022
The Rams remaining on top of the rankings is fine by me, but how did the Bears slide three spots after the draft? The consensus opinion on the Bears’ draft has mainly been positive, yet USA Today has them falling to 31 (down from 28) in the post-draft write-up. Obviously, power rankings are fickle and mean absolutely nothing, but still, it sucks to see the Bears relegated to the cellar. The Packers check in at No. 5 if you were wondering.
Extra Points …
• Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is in some pretty exclusive company when it comes to receiving yards in his first two NFL seasons:
The full list of players with 3,000 Receiving Yards in their first 2 NFL seasons
▪️ Justin Jefferson pic.twitter.com/WohEQkgi6D
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) May 10, 2022
• Nick Chubb is a STRONG DUDE!
675 pounds is light work for @NickChubb21 😳🏋️♂️ (via @ZachChubb10) pic.twitter.com/QSzMzANQNe
— NFL (@NFL) May 9, 2022
• If you’re not a fan of the NFL’s decision to allow the use of single-digit numbers for all positions, this one is going to irk you. I am not in that crowd; I think it’s fun seeing players unrestricted by position groups when choosing their number. The fifth overall pick of the NFL Draft, Kayvon Thibodeaux, will be wearing No. 5 for the New York Giants this season. Thibodeaux wore that number in college as well.
Thibodeaux got it 👀 pic.twitter.com/CgugYafpd4
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 9, 2022
• Sony Michel is heading to Miami on a one-year deal worth $2.1 million. This offseason, the Dolphins have now signed three running backs, with Michel joining Raheem Mostert and Chase Edmonds as newcomers to the Miami backfield. The trio of free-agent running backs will join Myles Gaskin, and Salvon Ahmed in the Dolphins’ running backs room as new head coach Mike McDaniel continues to work to upgrade the Dolphins’ offense.
Dolphins signing RB Sony Michel. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/DRTDtqaDec
— NFL (@NFL) May 9, 2022
• DeVonta Smith for the win with the ‘Friday’ reference 😂:
Damn, got fired on my day off 😭 https://t.co/lZrXZAD3kX
— DeVonta Smith (@DeVontaSmith_6) May 9, 2022
• We’ll wrap this one up with a good laugh …
This filter on the @Vikings is absolutely hilarious. 😂☹️ (via @BlakeProehl) pic.twitter.com/It3UVWdqRU
— NFL (@NFL) May 10, 2022
