Unlike the rest of America, Jim Nantz did not tune in to see Tom Brady’s debut on Fox.
That’s not because they’re on competing networks; the lead CBS commentator has been candid about how much he helped Brady last year. But instead, Nantz and Tony Romo were on the phone for the Las Vegas Raiders-Los Angeles Chargers in the same time slot that Brady and Kevin Burkhardt were on the mic for the Dallas Cowboys-Cleveland Browns.
But even if Nantz were watching, he would find the criticism unwarranted and unfair. Nantz won’t rewatch Brady’s debut; he’s got enough on his plate, but he’ll watch Brady’s second round as long as he can, as CBS’ A-Team will be back on the air at 4:25 a.m. ET in Week 2.
“I would have liked to hear him, but I look forward to hearing him again later,” Nantz said recently during an appearance at What the hell with Suzy Shuster and Amy Trask. “I’ll actually hear him this week because we’ve got the late game; he’ll be up early. I’ve spoken to Tom a lot in the lead up to this season and he’s called a lot of commentators to get their insights and what it’s like in the dressing room, how you prepare, how fast the game moves.
“I know he’s going to do really well – I have no doubt about that. I’m certainly not going to make a judgment without seeing him. And even if I had seen him – which I didn’t – I wouldn’t draw any conclusions after one game. Tom Brady is going to do very well; I’m confident.”
Nantz felt he was in no position to criticize Brady because he hadn’t seen the game himself. That should strike a chord with the sports media, which often comments on games it hasn’t seen, but that’s beside the point.
In any case, Nantz’s support for Brady echoes Joe Buck’s stance that it’s unfair to judge a new commentator after just one game. As a veteran commentator with experience working with former quarterbacks (Romo and Phil Simms), Nantz’s support lends credibility to Brady’s potential, whether you agree he’s still developing or not.
(What about football)
