A look at Tom Brady's journey to the broadcast booth ahead of highly anticipated debut

Just over 19 months have passed since seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady announced he was retiring from the NFL "for good."

This afternoon, the NFL legend will make his long-awaited broadcast debut when he joins lead play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt in the FOX booth for "America's Game of the Week." 

The Cleveland Browns host the Dallas Cowboys for the nationally televised Week 1 game. FOX Sports sideline reporter Erin Andrews and reporter and feature contributor Tom Rinaldi will also join Burkhardt and Brady on the weekly NFL broadcasts.

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Tom Brady looks on before the Las Vegas Aces home opener against the Phoenix Mercury at Michelob ULTRA Arena on May 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aces defeated the Mercury 89-80. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

In 2022, Fox Corporation CEO Lachlan Murdoch made the announcement during a company earnings call that the seven-time Super Bowl champion would be joining the sports network’s top announcing team at some point following the conclusion of his illustrious football career. Brady was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the time.

"It will be a stellar and exciting television career," Murdoch said in 2022, "but that’s up to him to make that choice when he sees fit."

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Brady decided to delay his foray into the broadcast booth by a year, but eventually committed to starting the second act of his career in 2024. The New England Patriots legend has mentioned the next step in his career over the past several months during various interviews and speaking engagements.

Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady looks on prior to a game between the Michigan Panthers and the Memphis Showboats at Ford Field on May 18, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Nic Antaya/UFL/Getty Images)

Brady spoke with FOX Sports from the broadcast booth inside Cleveland Browns home stadium on Saturday as his alma mater, Michigan, regrouped in the locker at halftime of a game against Texas.

"Obviously super excited, there's little anxiety," Brady responded when asked about his emotions ahead of his debut. "There's been a lot of preparation that's gone into from a lot of people and it's been a couple years journey. But, I think the thing that's most exciting to me is I get to get back to NFL football. Being up here in the booth, I've got the best partner in Kevin and Erin down on the field with Tom Rin… We've got a great group. There's so many talented people that I get to work with, I get to be a part of a great team. And I get to cover a sport I absolutely love."

Brady talks expectations for first season in the broadcasting booth

Brady developed a reputation for being meticulous in his preparation leading up to games, and his commitment has seemed to carry over to his television career. 

The Athletic reported that Brady sat in an NBC production truck during a Miami Dolphins game. Burkhart has participated in mock games with Brady. The legendary quarterback admitted that he offered his apologies to Burkhardt when he made mistakes during the practice games. However, Brady said the experienced play-by-play man did reassure him.

"I want to get up every day and try to prove to them, ‘Hey guys, I know I’m the rookie, but I’ve got your back, too,’" Brady told "FOX NFL Sunday" host Curt Menefee.  

Will Brady critique players during broadcast?

Brady has openly shared his thoughts for the past few years on his "Let’s Go!" podcast.

Last year he spoke to the state of the NFL on the podcast, saying "I think there's a lot of mediocrity in today's NFL," Brady said.

Shortly before he was inducted into the Patriots' hall of fame, he told Yahoo! Sports that "quarterbacking has gone backwards a little bit in the NFL." He pointed the finger at coaching in the league and in the college football ranks. But, during a sitdown with Stephen A. Smith last month, Brady cautioned that he hopes to avoid being overly critical of quarterbacks when he is in the broadcast booth.

Tom Brady gives the MVP trophy to Adrian Martinez #9 of the Birmingham Stallions after the Stallions beat the San Antonio Brahmas to win the UFL Championship Game at The Dome at America’s Center on June 16, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri.   (Scott Rovak/UFL/Getty Images)

"That was horrible," was an example of a phrase Brady said he might have an inclination to say into the microphone, but he acknowledged, "I just can't say that on TV."

He co-hosted the "Let's Go!" podcast alongside veteran sports reporter Jim Gray and retired wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Bill Belichick was recently announced as Brady's replacement for the podcast as the football great focuses on his new role with FOX. 

The Cowboys and Browns kickoff at 4:25 p.m. Eastern on FOX.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.