JJ Watt is stepping into a new role at CBS, and Pat McAfee has one big message for him: Brace yourself. Jumping from the field to the booth isn’t as easy as it looks—just ask Tom Brady. While the former Texans DE got the football IQ, personality, and work ethic to thrive, the reality is that the sports world loves to critique former players who step behind the mic.
On The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee and his crew hyped up Watt’s move, saying he could bring a fresh perspective to the booth. “There’s some athletes, some players that get into the media world who really want to call games,” McAfee said. “And I think the reason why they want to call games is because when they watch games back that they played in, they thought there was a lot of things that were potentially missing.” Every former player-turned-broadcaster—whether it’s Greg Olsen, Troy Aikman, or Cris Collinsworth—brings their own spin to the job. Now, all eyes are on Watt to see what he brings to the table.
Congratualtions @JJWatt
He will be calling NFL games this season #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/7jYCPw43cG
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 27, 2025
Boston Connor added that while JJ Watt will definitely have his fair share of critics, he won’t have to deal with the same insane pressure Brady has faced. “Not that people aren’t still going to nitpick and take shots at him regardless,” he said, “but it’s not the marquee game every single week where people are just like, ‘I don’t like this guy. This is different than what it’s been the last 10 years or so’.” Basically, Watt’s got some breathing room to find his groove.
Meanwhile, Brady’s first season in the booth has been… let’s just say bumpy. While his football knowledge is elite, people just aren’t vibing with his delivery. ESPN’s Don Van Natta even went as far as to say, “Tom Brady’s problem, and ours, is his voice. No matter how much his commentary might improve, Brady’s delivery system teeters between mildly annoying to nails-on-a-chalkboard.” Yikes.
To make things even trickier, Brady’s part-ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders means he doesn’t get the same behind-the-scenes access as other analysts. TIME pointed out that this conflict of interest prevents him from sitting in on pre-game meetings, which limits how deep he can go with his analysis. It’s tough to be the best in the booth when you don’t have all the info.
At the end of the day, McAfee and his crew know that broadcasting isn’t just about breaking down plays—it’s about connecting with the audience. Brady is still trying to figure that out, and JJ Watt is about to start his own journey. As McAfee put it, “We’re incredibly pumped and proud of him. I think he’s going to be great on CBS.” Now, it’s game time for Watt to prove him right.
JJ Watt is taking over the booth & he’s bringing the “fancy sauce”
JJ Watt is swapping his cleats for a mic as he steps up to become an NFL game analyst on CBS. The former Texans star just announced his latest gig, teaming up with longtime broadcaster Ian Eagle, and he did it in classic Watt style—dropping a hilarious post that read, “I’ll bring the fancy sauce. #NightHawk .” Looks like he’s ready to mix things up on game day, starting with the 2025 season.
After hanging up his cleats in 2022, Watt didn’t waste any time getting into the broadcasting game. He spent a couple of years as an analyst on The NFL Today with CBS Sports and even called his first game on Christmas Day last year alongside Eagle. Now, he’s officially taking over as part of CBS’s No. 2 NFL team, replacing Charles Davis. It’s clear that Watt’s got the chops, both on and off the field.
The fun doesn’t stop at the announcement. Watt has been sharing some pretty entertaining behind-the-scenes moments on social media. In one text exchange with Eagle, he joked about preparing for his new role with a cold tub and sauna session. Eagle wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it, asking, “Why would you need a cold tub and sauna to prepare for commentating?” JJ Watt’s cheeky reply was, “If you fail to prepare, you’re preparing to fail.” Clearly, Watt’s approach to game day prep is as unique as his personality.
The post After Tom Brady Criticism, Pat McAfee Sends Clear Message to JJ Watt as Texans Legend Announces New Role appeared first on EssentiallySports.
