Insider not certain Tom Brady will end up calling NFL games

New York Post sports media columnist Andrew Marchand has become the latest expert to express doubts that Tom Brady will ever serve as the lead NFL analyst for Fox. 

"It was at 51% he’s going to do it to 49%, with the reasoning, it’s so much money, he’ll try it for a year," Marchand explained during the latest edition of "The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast," as shared by Jason Ounpraseuth of NESN.

"However, I talked to a couple people, recently, close to Brady. And I kind of feel like I’m going more 49% chance he does it, 51% chance he doesn’t. I don’t think he wants to travel that much." 

Brady and Fox agreed to a 10-year deal following the 2021 NFL season -- one reportedly worth $375M -- for the seven-time Super Bowl champion to eventually become the network's No. 1 analyst over Greg Olsen. The future Hall of Famer said shortly after his second retirement from playing this past February that he is taking a "gap year" away from the NFL and will begin his broadcasting career in 2024. 

ESPN's Joe Buck, current Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd and "The NFL Today" analyst Phil Simms are among the noteworthy individuals who have hinted that Brady could have second thoughts about working in a television booth for roughly 20 Sundays each season. Others have pointed out that the 45-year-old free agent still has not emphatically slammed the door shut on signing with a team such as the Miami Dolphins this summer. 

"And Brady’s a guy, if he’s in, he’s all in, so he’s not going to be showing up day of games like Joe Buck and (Troy) Aikman do sometimes," Marchand continued. "He’s going to be there early if he’s going to do it, so it's a four-day event. Again, cry me a river, for that type of money for five and a half months. But, he shares kids with (ex-wife Gisele Bündchen, who lives in Florida). I think that’s very important to him, and he can make money elsewhere." 

Brady likely could silence such chatter by leaving zero doubt whatsoever he has taken his last snap as an NFL player. Each day he doesn't leaves people such as Marchand asking questions about what truly might be next for TB12.