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Not even the long-awaited return of San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey could pull attention away from Tom Brady, who joined Kevin Burkhardt in the booth to call the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
As the 49ers defeated the Buccaneers 23-20 with a game-winning kick from Jake Moody—who redeemed himself after missing three field goals—Brady provided commentary on his former team, which he led for three seasons.
In McCaffrey’s return, he recorded 13 carries for 39 yards and six catches for 68 yards. Quarterback Brock Purdy completed 25-of-36 passes for 353 yards with two touchdowns and one fumble.
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 18-of-29 passes for 116 yards with one touchdown and three fumbles.
Last month, NFL owners approved Tom Brady’s bid to purchase a 10 percent stake in the Las Vegas Raiders alongside a partner. Since the unanimous approval, Brady has faced new restrictions in his broadcasting career.
Despite his new limitations, Brady continues to perform well in the booth under his 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox, making him the highest-paid broadcaster in history.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion had a somewhat rocky start to his broadcast debut, receiving mixed reviews from fans on his announcing skills. However, he has since found his groove, and fans now eagerly tune in to hear his commentary.
JennaLaineESPN @JennaLaineESPN
Tom Brady is calling a great game today. I’ve really enjoyed listening to him on this call. He’s growing a lot. I thought the early criticism of him was unfair, considering this is a totally new thing for him and he’s not getting the same access as other broadcasters. Well done.
Fans are still eagerly awaiting Brady’s appearance in the booth for a New England Patriots game, where he spent 20 years of his career. That opportunity could come next week, as the Patriots are set to face the Los Angeles Rams at Gillette Stadium, with the game scheduled to air on FOX.