The GOAT is coming back for one more NFL season. But once he retires, a Tom Brady FOX Sports deal begins that’s reportedly bigger than all but two athlete contracts in the history of US sports.
Just a couple short weeks ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers successfully restructured Tom Brady’s contract. The legandary signal-caller was halfway into a two-year, $50 million deal when he retired in early 2022 only to relent and pledge his NFL return in short order.
And even though he’ll be making approximately $30 million on the field this year to bring his career earnings total to an estimated $332,962,392 per Spotrac, TB12 is somehow going to make even more when he makes the transition to FOX Sports as an NFL analyst.
More specifically, a full $375 million over 10 years, as first reported by Andrew Marchand of the New York Post:
We should note that FOX has pumped the brakes on this a little bit, saying what’s out there “isn’t an accurate description of the deal,” but that says nothing about the numbers involved. So let’s go with what’s been reported for now.
The potential deal got us thinking — if that salary number constitutes more in one decade than Brady has made on an actual NFL field in more than 20 years, how does it stack up against the biggest contracts and the biggest earners in the long history of US sports?
Well, we looked it up for you. If Marchand’s reporting is indeed correct, the conclusions are dizzying.
Where the Tom Brady FOX Sports Deal Would Rank Among…
All dollar figures via Spotrac as of May 10, 2022. “AAV” indicates average annual value.
Biggest NFL Contracts of All Time (Total Value)
1. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: $450M (10 years)
2. Tom Brady @ FOX: $375M (10 years)
3. Bills QB Josh Allen: $258.03M (6 years)
4. Browns QB Deshaun Watson: $230M (5 years)
5. Rams QB Matthew Stafford: $160M (4 years)
Biggest NFL Contracts of All Time (AAV)
1. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers: $50.27M
2. Browns QB Deshaun Watson: $46M
3. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: $45M
….
9. Tom Brady @ FOX: $37.5M
Biggest MLB Contracts of All Time (Total Value)
1. Angels OF Mike Trout: $426.5M (12 years)
2. Tom Brady @ FOX: $375M (10 years)
3. Dodgers OF Mookie Betts: $365M (12 years)
4. Padres SS Fernando Tatis Jr.: $340M (14 years)
5. Phillies OF Bryce Harper: $330M (13 years)
Biggest MLB Contracts of All Time (AAV)
1. Mets SP Max Scherzer: $43.33M
2. Tom Brady @ FOX: $37.5M
3. Yankees SP Gerrit Cole: $36M
4. Angels OF Mike Trout: $35.54M
5. Twins SS Carlos Correa: $35.1M
Biggest NBA Contracts of All Time (Total Value)
1. Tom Brady @ FOX: $375M (10 years)
2. Bucks PF Giannis Antetokounmpo: $228.2M (5 years)
3. Warriors PG Stephen Curry: $215.35M (4 years)
4. Mavericks PG Luka Dončić: $212.28M (5 years)
5. Lakers PG Russell Westbrook: $206.79M (5 years)
Biggest NBA Contracts of All Time (AAV)
1. Warriors PG Stephen Curry: $53.84M
2. 76ers C Joel Embiid: $48.98M
3. Heat SF Jimmy Butler: $48.78M
…
21. Tom Brady @ FOX: $37.5M
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Brady’s FOX Contract vs. Every US Sports Contract Ever
1. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: $450,000,000 (10 years)
2. Angels OF Mike Trout: $426,500,000 (12 years)
3. Tom Brady @ FOX: $375,000,000 (10 years)
4. Dodgers OF Mookie Betts: $365,000,000 (12 years)
5. Padres SS Fernando Tatis Jr.: $340,000,000 (14 years)
6. Phillies OF Bryce Harper: $330,000,000 (13 years)
t-7. Rangers SS Corey Seager: $225,000,000 (10 years)
t-7. Yankees OF/DH Giancarlo Stanton: $225,000,000 (13 years)
9. Yankees SP Gerrit Cole: $324,000,000 (9 years)
10. Padres 3B Manny Machado: $300,000,000 (10 years)
Brady’s FOX Sports Deal vs. the Highest US Sports Earners Ever
Refers to on-field/on-court salary only.
1. MLB SS/3B Alex Rodriguez: $455,160,000
2. Lakers SF LeBron James: $387,380,000
3. Tom Brady @ FOX: $375,000,000
4. Tigers 1B/DH Miguel Cabrera: $353,020,000
5. Cardinals 1B/DH Albert Pujols: $341,710,000
6. NBA PF Kevin Garnett: $334,300,000
7. Suns PG Chris Paul: $330,710,000
8. Lakers SG Kobe Bryant: $323,310,000
9. Nets SF Kevin Durant: $306,170,000
10. Buccaneers QB Tom Brady: $302,960,000
There you have it. This upcoming Tom Brady FOX contract, as reported in the New York Post, is more lucrative than all but two deals signed in the history of US sports to date, and carries more value than all but two athletes have earned within US sports since the beginning of time.
It’s absolutely wild to ponder. But knowing TB12, it’s probably not even the most interesting thing that happened to him today.
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