Tom Brady and Jason Kidd have put their playing days behind them, but they are each still connected to their respective sports. The seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback has developed into a confident and informative presence in the broadcast booth for Fox, while the Hall of Fame point guard and NBA champion helms the sidelines for the Dallas Mavericks (11-8). Both star athletes left an indelible mark on the industry across multiple decades, but their connection runs deeper than most people may realize.
Kidd and Brady began their pursuits of greatness in the San Francisco Bay Area, reached their peaks in the Northeast and then capped off legendary careers down South. Their paths converged along the way, and they did so again on Wednesday night.
Brady attended the Mavericks’ home game versus the New York Knicks (10-8), which Dallas won pretty handily (129-114), and caught up with Kidd afterwards. The five-time All-NBA First-Team selection had nothing but praise for the three-time NFL MVP.
“We both grew up in the Bay Area… He probably will tell you he went to the better high school,” Kidd joked, per Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints. “I’ve known Tom for a long time. He’s the GOAT. I asked him how his new job is going, he’s loving it. It was cool to see him at the game tonight.”
Tom Brady is in the Big D to work his first Turkey Day game
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Brady is in town to broadcast the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving matchup against the New York Giants and took the opportunity to get a look at the reigning Western Conference champions. Naji Marshall put on a show for the iconic guest, scoring a team-high 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, and Quentin Grimes greeted his former squad by draining four 3-pointers and securing seven rebounds.
Despite the significant star power present in American Airlines Center– Jalen Brunson dropped 37 points without making a single trey and Karl-Anthony Towns recorded another double-double– the game itself was not too competitive. Tom Brady was probably hoping for a bit more entertainment, especially since he is tasked with calling a holiday game between two sub-par NFC East teams.
Dallas (4-7) is pulling away from New York (2-9) in the second half and leads 27-13 at time of print. Hopefully, the former No. 12 can regale fans with some engaging anecdotes if things continue to get ugly in AT&T Stadium. Jason Kidd is preparing for the 4-14 Utah Jazz this Saturday night, so he should have some time to turn on the television and listen to his fellow Northern Californian.