Now that he’s no longer in charge of the day-to-day running of his show on the Fox Sports cable channel, columnist and former FS1 host Skip Bayless is criticizing the parent company’s newest star: Tom Brady.
“I listened to Tom Brady an entire game today, and then Tony Romo an entire game,” Bayless wrote on X during Sunday’s NFL game.
Brady appeared on the Fox network on Sunday to report on the Dallas Cowboys’ game against the visiting New Orleans Saints. Then Romo, a former Cowboys quarterback who now serves as a color commentator for CBS Sports, covered the Kansas City Chiefs-Cincinnati Bengals action from Arrowhead Stadium.
“Romo gives you a lot more X&O insight and enlightenment,” Bayless wrote. “Some ex-QBs can see it and say it. Some can’t. Maybe Brady played with more indescribable feel and instincts. But … he’s just a booth rookie.”
The reactions to Bayless’ post were mostly negative.
Former QB Tom Brady watches from the broadcast booth during the second half in Dallas
Skip Bayless (left) prefers ex-Dallas QB Tony Romo (right) in the booth over Tom Brady
“And you’re unemployed and you watch them make millions,” someone remarked.
“You can’t be serious,” another added. “It’s his second game, it’s almost Romo’s second decade.”
Brady reportedly signed a $375 million, 10-year contract with Fox Sports, but drew criticism after calling the Cowboys-Cleveland Browns game in his Week 1 debut.
Outside of Bayless, however, Brady’s critics were impressed with his improvement in Week 2.
“Tom Brady has been much more comfortable and natural in the booth this week than he was in Week 1,” Houston Rockets reporter Vanessa Richardson wrote on X.
Sports Illustrated podcaster Jimmy Traina noted a particular conversation between Brady and Fox Sports’ latest football team reporter Kevin Burkhardt. Burkhardt asked the future Hall of Famer about Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott and one of the team’s young receivers.
After being criticized the week before, Brady is now being praised for his work as an analyst
“The best moment of Tom Brady’s young broadcasting career has just arrived,” Traina wrote on X. “After the Cowboys’ rookie WR slips up, leading to an INT, Burkhardt wonders if Prescott should go back to the rookie WR to build trust.
Brady: ‘Not today.’
David Helman, podcaster at Fox Sports NFL, also enjoyed that conversation.
‘Love Tom Brady’s honest[y] “There,” he wrote. “I think most guys would say you have to trust the WR in a situation like that, and Tom says ‘no, don’t think I’m looking back at him after he did that to me.’
Bayless has been a free agent since leaving his longtime show Undisputed last month.
“Today was my last show on Undisputed,” Bayless wrote on X in August. “I’m leaving FS1. I’ve been planning on pursuing other opportunities for a few months. I’ve had an amazing 8 year career with a lot of great people at FOX, but now I’m excited for what’s to come. Stay tuned.”