In his first season calling games for Fox, Tom Brady looked the part, barring the first game nerves, where he played it too safe in his debut during the Cowboys vs. Browns game. Fans took to social media and called TB the ‘worst announcer’. However, he pulled himself out of the rut, right into the good books as the season came to an end. But more than anything, he’s made it clear. He’s not here to tear down players, especially not Patrick Mahomes. That mindset, as Brady explained in a sit-down with Complex Sports, stems from empathy. “How can I throw shade at someone who’s as amazing as [Mahomes] is?” Brady said.

“I know what he’s been through.” He spoke about wanting to bring honesty to the booth, sure—but also fairness. The former Patriots legend isn’t pretending everyone gets it right all the time. In his words, “Neither did I.” It was typical of Brady. Polished, diplomatic, and grounded in experience. But that’s exactly where Shannon Sharpe took issue.

Because Sharpe didn’t disagree with Brady’s logic. He just thinks the logic is a little too safe. “Tom Brady explained why he’ll never criticize Patrick Mahomes during the broadcast… but that’s all we ask,” Unc began, speaking directly on Nightcap with Chad Johnson. “Is that you don’t make excuses. If Patrick Mahomes make a bad throw, say Patrick Mahomes made a bad throw.” Sharpe wasn’t ranting. He was leveling.

“Michael Jordan took some bad shots, didn’t play well. It’s right to say that, that happened. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes—it doesn’t not matter.” The responsibility, he argued, isn’t about nitpicking. It’s about telling the truth.

And Sharpe was far from done. “If a guy doesn’t play well, it’s your obligation because you know what the casual fan at home doesn’t know.” He acknowledged the tightrope walk that broadcasters face, especially former players who now need access for production meetings. Maybe Sharpe’s got a point. Tom Brady’s 10-year deal worth $350 million with FOX comes with an obligation. That is, to critically analyze each play.

Meanwhile, Sharpe’s frustration has its layers. It’s not about Brady or even Mahomes. It’s about how the media operates now. As he admitted, even he had to be careful because his narratives could easily get twisted. “Every time they asked me ‘Do you think such and such should be in the Hall of Fame?’ Well, I ain’t got a vote. [Then the headline reads] ‘Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe doesn’t think such and such should be in the Hall of Fame.’” The Hall of Famer knows the drill too well. Facts get filtered. Context gets clipped. So when Brady says he’s protecting Mahomes out of respect, Sharpe hears something else: restraint shaped by a broken media cycle.

Chad Johnson, as always, offered a different perspective. He didn’t think Brady’s soft approach would be a major problem—because, frankly, Mahomes rarely gives you much to criticize. “He’s not going to have to say much often,” Johnson said. Well, that’s another way of looking at it. What Sharpe and Johnson made clear, though, is that the bar for a great broadcaster isn’t just likability or former playing experience. It’s clarity. It’s credibility. But it’s a learning curve. A curve that’s got nothing to do with Brady’s already established status.

Tom Brady’s still got it?

The Patrick Mahomes vs. Tom Brady GOAT debate is back in the spotlight. To be honest, it’s not ending anytime soon. But, surprise, Dave Portnoy isn’t here for it. For the Barstool Sports founder, there’s no debate to be had. Mahomes could stack rings like poker chips at the Bellagio, but as long as those head-to-head losses exist? Case closed. “No, and it’s an easy answer,” Portnoy said on Club Shay Shay. Why? Because when the lights were brightest, Brady didn’t just win—he beat Mahomes to do it.

Now, let’s be fair. Mahomes isn’t exactly running in second gear. The guy’s racked up 32,352 passing yards, 245 touchdowns, and just 74 picks in only eight seasons. That’s video game stuff. Brady, through the same stretch? 26,370 yards, 197 TDs, 88 INTs. So yeah, Mahomes is ahead of the curve statistically. But this isn’t Fantasy Football Weekly. Legacy in the NFL has never just been about numbers. It’s about the moment. And according to Portnoy, Brady owned those moments.

“If they played, and Brady is at the end of his career, [he] still beat [Mahomes],” Portnoy reminded everyone. Phew! That Super Bowl LV beatdown in Tampa? Not exactly a forgettable footnote. Same for the 2018 AFC title game in Kansas City. Before hanging his cleats, Brady made sure to remind Pat that there are levels to this. So when Portnoy says even seven rings from Mahomes wouldn’t be enough, he’s talking scars, not stats.

Still, how many QBs have done half of what Mahomes has at 28? He’s already got three Super Bowls, two MVPs, and a reputation for late-game magic. But that’s what makes this debate fun. Mahomes is still writing his story. Brady’s is already framed in Canton. And until their postseason paths cross again (spoiler: they won’t), those clutch Ls may forever be the fine print in Mahomes’ GOAT application. So, is Portnoy stubborn or just stating what most Brady fans already believe? You decide.