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NFL Legend Michael Strahan Had Words For Tom Brady Before Thanksgiving

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Nov 27, 2025 9:35 AM ET

Few NFL players have enjoyed legendary careers on the field and then transitioned seamlessly into top-level broadcasting, but Tom Brady and Michael Strahan stand out as two who have done exactly that.

Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion and widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, moved into the Fox Sports booth following his retirement. Strahan, a Hall of Fame defensive end, has long been a cornerstone of Fox’s NFL studio coverage, building a respected media résumé since stepping away from the New York Giants.

Brady originally agreed to join Fox Sports as its lead NFL analyst on May 10, 2022, when the network announced a massive long-term deal set to begin after his playing career officially ended. Following his final retirement, he made his broadcasting debut during the 2024 NFL season, teaming with lead play-by-play voice Kevin Burkhardt as part of Fox’s top booth. Strahan, meanwhile, entered the Fox lineup much earlier; in 2008, the network formally welcomed him as an analyst on the pre-game show Fox NFL Sunday.

NFL Legend Tom Brady.© Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

During a recent broadcast of Fox NFL Sunday, Brady was asked whether he knew he’d be working on Thanksgiving. The three-time MVP, appearing to joke, acted surprised by the news.

Strahan quickly jumped in, recalling how he learned late in his first Fox season that he’d be working the holiday. With a laugh, he offered Brady some friendly encouragement.

“The same exact reaction, Tom” Strahan said, recalling how shocked he also was. “Don’t feel bad about it. When we don’t show up on Thanksgiving, we’ll be having Thanksgiving together and let these guys do their stuff.”

Tom Brady pretended to be shocked after being informed he'd have to work on Thanksgiving pic.twitter.com/6ovWng9oOb
— Simo Saadi (@Simo7809957085) November 25, 2024

This year, Brady’s holiday assignment is the early Thanksgiving matchup between the Green Bay Packers (7-3-1) and Detroit Lions (7-4), a pivotal NFC North clash kicking off at 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox. Many fans, however, view the later Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) vs. Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1) showdown on CBS as the bigger draw.

Still, as families settle in for Thanksgiving football, Brady will be on the call during one of the NFL’s most anticipated broadcast days.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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