Report: Fox rebuffs Netflix request for Tom Brady on Christmas game

Field Level Media|published: Wed 25th September, 20:22 2024

NFL legend Tom Brady is all smiles before an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Fox rejected a request from Netflix to have Tom Brady and Kevin Burkhardt call one of the two NFL games the streaming service will broadcast on Christmas, the New York Post reported Wednesday.

Brady and Burkhardt are in their first season as Fox Sports' lead NFL broadcasting duo. Brady joined the booth this year as an analyst after an illustrious 23-year career as an NFL quarterback with the New England Patriots (2000-19) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020-22) before retiring in February 2023. He signed a reported 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox Sports.

The Post reported that Netflix is now eyeing CBS's Ian Eagle and his son, NBC play-by-play man Noah Eagle, along with Fox analyst Greg Olsen and CBS talent Nate Burleson as potential fits.

Whether NBC and Fox would let Noah Eagle and Olsen, respectively, call a game for Netflix is unknown, per the Post. CBS, meanwhile, is a third-party affiliate of the streaming service.

Representatives for Netflix and CBS declined to comment, while Fox and NBC were not immediately available for comment, the Post reported.

Netflix, which has never aired an NFL game, is reportedly spending roughly $150 million to air this season's Christmas doubleheader. The Kansas City Chiefs visit the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Houston Texans host the Baltimore Ravens.

--Field Level Media