Former ESPN President Offers Strong Take on Tom Brady's Fox Contract

Tom Brady is by all accounts the greatest quarterback in NFL history, and he has a chance to become a broadcasting icon in future decades after signing a record-breaking contract with Fox. But one former television executive isn’t so sure Brady will be worth the money. 

“There’s very little economic value,” former ESPN president John Skipper said last week on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. “He’s a very, very, very expensive trophy.”

Brady agreed to a deal that will make the seven-time Super Bowl champion the network’s lead NFL analyst following his retirement in a deal reportedly worth $375 million over 10 years. 

Skipper’s comments weren’t necessarily critical of the current Buccaneers quarterback. Rather, Skipper, who is currently the executive chairman of DAZN, said he would rather see Fox use its money on live broadcast rights, or further staffing across the company. 

“Seriously, for $375 million, you could have bought some live event rights, which would actually make a significant difference,” Skipper said. “[Brady] does not make significant difference other than pride and ambassadorship to put somebody in the booth for $37.5 million dollars [per year].”

Skipper has plenty of experience leading media outlets. He was with ESPN from 2012 through 2017, and he is now the CEO of Meadowlark Media. As for Brady, he still has some football left in him before heading to the booth. He’ll begin his 23rd NFL season in 2022 as he seeks an eighth Lombardi Trophy.