The GOAT Will Race 🏎️
Certainly, pre-race ceremonies are the ultimate racing experience… – Jimmie Johnson
When you give one of the most famous names in sports a 10-year contract worth $375 million, you find unique ways to use him. That’s what Fox seems to be doing with Tom Brady, as they’ve announced the plan for the retired quarterback and current NFL analyst to take part in the Indianapolis 500 as Fox Sports embarks on its first year of broadcasting IndyCar.
A Historic Race
Brady is going to ride with racing great Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time champion in his own right in NASCAR, in the “Fastest Seat in Sports” at the Indy 500, the equivalent of the Super Bowl on the IndyCar schedule. They’ll be riding in a custom two-seat Indy car that takes ceremonial laps before an IndyCar race, and this is going to be the first time it makes an appearance before the Indy 500 since 2019.
Despite this being a showy spectacle, the custom car can get up to speeds of 180 miles per hour or better, so the 6’4” Brady better buckle up even if he is the bigger star between the two. But Johnson is excited about the opportunity. “Certainly, pre-race ceremonies are the ultimate racing experience that I’ve had outside of the car. I’m thrilled to be a part of the program and to see the stands full one more time,” Johnson said.
#TomBrady’s trading the football field for the fast lane 🏎️
He’s hopping in with Jimmie Johnson for parade laps at the #Indy500 on May 25 💨 pic.twitter.com/Sv5n9xRflI
— LockerRoom RAW (@LockerRoom_RAW) May 15, 2025
The Indy 500 qualifying is this week with the actual race May 25, 2025. After the Fastest Seat in Sports, Brady will reportedly head to the Coca-Cola 600 with Johnson, where he’ll be making his 700th career NASCAR start.
It’s all an experiment for Fox trying to perfect its IndyCar broadcasting, but for Brady, it could be a business opportunity. He’s already a 5% minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and has a stake in the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. Maybe he’ll get involved with racing next if he likes what he sees.
One thing he probably won’t do is ask to learn the names of the people responsible for gassing up the cars.
Brady on Belichick’s contribution to the dynasty:
when I go to the Indy 500 I don’t ask the winning driver “hey who gassed up your car” 😂😂pic.twitter.com/VGwi962G7g
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 6, 2024
Year 2 for Brady’s New Roles
Brady’s first year as an NFL game analyst with Fox was rough. It didn’t help that he was stuck calling blowouts involving the Dallas Cowboys for seemingly his whole first month. He also got a Super Bowl dud to call Chiefs-Eagles, one of the worst in the 59-year history.
But maybe things will regress to the mean, and he’ll get some better games to call and feel more comfortable in his second year. Here are some games Fox will air this season that Brady will likely get the assignment for:
Week 2: Eagles at Chiefs (Super Bowl rematch).
- Week 3: Rams at Eagles (playoff rematch).
- Week 7: Commanders at Cowboys.
- Week 10: Lions at Commanders (playoff rematch).
- Week 12: Eagles at Cowboys.
- Week 13: Packers at Lions (Thanksgiving).
- Week 14: Bengals at Bills.
- Week 17: Eagles at Bills.
Shedeur Sanders on Tom Brady reaching out to him after being a Day 3 draft pick:
“My story is gonna be similar.”
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) May 10, 2025
As for his other role with the Raiders, according to NFL rumors, Brady may not have as much sway with personnel decisions as expected. The team did not draft Shedeur Sanders despite Brady’s personal connection to him, so he’ll have to watch how his team fares this year with Pete Carroll and Geno Smith leading the way for running back Ashton Jeanty.
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