Former quarterback Tom Brady recently showcased his skills in a different arena than he is used to.
During a panel discussion at Fanatics Fest held at the Javits Center in New York, Brady expressed a somewhat critical view of New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. This comment drew laughter from the audience when Brady invoked Jones’ name while discussing a hypothetical interception while sharing the stage with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
“I’m not trying to criticize Daniel Jones,” Brady said after recognizing the impact of his words. “Maybe I was a little bit.”
As Brady prepares for his new role as the lead analyst for Fox’s NFL broadcasts, which will begin this season alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt, he acknowledged the challenge of balancing honesty with respect while commenting on quarterbacks.
Brady reflected on how he might want to express himself more candidly, saying, “If I threw a really bad interception, I would go to the bench and say, ‘You’re the worst quarterback in the world. How could you make that throw? Terrible!’”
Nonetheless, he emphasized the importance of being mindful in his comments, noting that he wouldn’t be privy to the specific issues that led to plays not going well, and his intention is to avoid being overly harsh.
Brady also has a complicated history with the Giants, having lost two Super Bowls to Eli Manning’s team in 2007 and 2011, a fact he has referenced numerous times, especially regarding how they thwarted the New England Patriots’ chance of a perfect season in 2007.
As for Jones, he is entering his sixth season with the Giants and has faced challenges, including a season marred by injuries in 2023, where he recorded two touchdown passes and six interceptions. He is expected to return to the field for the preseason game against the Houston Texans this Saturday.