Tom Brady Reveals FCC Called Him After Profane Fox Sports Commentary
Tom Brady says the Federal Communications Commission contacted him after a pair of profane remarks slipped out during a recent Fox Sports broadcast.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion made the comments while calling the Dallas Cowboys’ 37-20 victory over the Washington Commanders on Sept. 20.
Brady is currently in his third season as a Fox color commentator alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
The first incident occurred late in the first half after Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow.
Daniels was stepped on while taking a snap, and Fox later showed a replay of the injury.
Brady reacted immediately.
“Oh, sh**,” he said before quickly adding, “Excuse me. I was not expecting to see that.”
Another remark came later in the game after Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott completed a 35-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb near the sideline.
Brady described the throw as an “absolute piss missile up the sideline.”
Both comments quickly drew attention online.
Journalism professor Michael Socolow argued that Brady’s use of the first expletive on a live television broadcast could violate FCC indecency rules.
Broadcast television stations face restrictions on obscene, indecent and profane material between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Questions remain, however, about how federal rules apply to isolated and unscripted profanity during live programming.
So-called fleeting expletives have produced varying legal and regulatory outcomes over the years.
Potential FCC penalties can also be substantial.
Maximum forfeitures have been reported in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per violation or per day, although penalties are generally directed at the station licensee rather than the individual broadcaster, per Trending Politics.
Brady later addressed his language during a Fox #AskTom segment.
He explained that a “piss missile” is football terminology for a pass thrown with extreme velocity and precision.
Brady broke down the mechanics behind such a throw, referencing ground-force production, body torque and keeping the throwing arm relaxed.
He also acknowledged that his language might not have gone over well with every viewer.
“I fully expect you to beep out those ‘piss missiles,’ okay?” Brady joked.
He then referenced a swear jar at home and said his children were becoming increasingly pleased with how often he had to contribute to it.
“I’m actually kind of embarrassed,” Brady admitted.
“There’s a lot of grandmas at home that probably aren’t very happy with my mouth on Fox. I’m going to fix that. Sorry, I apologize.”
The story took another turn when Brady revealed on social media that the FCC had apparently contacted him.
“More miss pissles and a few turkey provolones no doubt coming up this year,” Brady wrote.
He then added, “yes, I meant miss pissles, I got a call from the FCC,” followed by laughing emojis.
Brady did not provide additional details about the call or indicate whether it involved a formal investigation.
As of the report, the FCC had not publicly confirmed opening an enforcement action against Fox or Brady.
That distinction is important because a call from the agency does not necessarily mean a fine or formal proceeding is coming.
Brady’s comments nevertheless put renewed attention on broadcast indecency rules and how they apply to live sports.
Unexpected injuries, celebrations and controversial plays can produce spontaneous reactions from announcers with little time for networks to censor them.
For Brady, the incidents also offered another reminder that the standards surrounding an NFL broadcast booth are different from those on the field.
He may have spent more than two decades avoiding defenders, but this time, it was his own vocabulary that apparently drew the attention of federal regulators.
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