Tom Brady has once again found himself in a broadcasting controversy.
Brady potentially broke one of the NFL’s rules allowing him to serve as FOX Sports‘ lead analyst despite his recent purchase in a minority ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders during the broadcast of Sunday’s (November 3) game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. The seven-time Super Bowl champion is “Prohibited from publicly criticizing officiating or other NFL teams” as an NFL owner, but said “I don’t love that call at all” after Lions safety Brian Branch was ejected for targeting.
The potential violation came one week after Brady used what was described as an “offensive term” during the FOX Sports broadcast of the game between the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks on October 28.
Brady used the term “spaz” while analyzing Bills quarterback Josh Allen during the Bills’ offensive drive in the first quarter of an eventual 31-10 win.
“Sometimes he played like a spaz, like a grade-schooler on a sugar high, but now he’s controlled the chaos. He’s like a storm coming into town and you don’t want that storm coming into this town,” Brady said.
The term “spaz” is a shortened version of spastic, which is sometimes used to describe medical conditions and Brady’s usage drew scrutiny online.
“The ‘spaz’ comment was uncalled for,” one user wrote on X.
— The Comeback NFL (@TheComebackNFL) November 3, 2024
Another X user said the term was “highly offensive to people who have physical disabilities as well as their loved ones.”
A third X user said it was “sickening that that word is even in his vocabulary.”
Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract to serve as FOX Sports‘ new lead NFL analyst in May 2022, weeks after he announced his decision to un-retire and return for his 23rd NFL season. The deal was set to take place upon the conclusion of Brady’s NFL career, however, the seven-time Super Bowl champion opted to spend a gap year with his children and prepare for the role.
Brady is the NFL’s all-time passing leader for yards (84,520) and touchdowns (624), as well as quarterback wins (243), among numerous other records. The San Mateo native spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, leading the franchise to an NFL record six Super Bowl championships (tied with the Steelers), before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent in March 2020, which resulted in Tampa Bay winning its second Super Bowl in franchise history, becoming the first NFL team to win a Super Bowl in its home stadium, in February 2021.