Last Dance 2: Tom Brady will have a nine-part ESPN documentary series in 2021
Many of you don’t want to hear this, but Tom Brady is the greatest success story in American sports history.
People have tired of Brady, the New England Patriots’ annual success and the story of him being the 199th pick of the draft. But he has put together the greatest résumé of any NFL quarterback ever, the only six-time Super Bowl winner in league history. Every other GOAT candidate in the other major sports was either a child prodigy, high draft pick or was a top prospect before hitting the big leagues. Brady succeeded like nobody else in NFL history after being an overlooked sixth-round pick.
There’s some fatigue with Brady, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason, but at some point his story will be fully appreciated by everyone. Maybe that’s a reason why ESPN is having a nine-part documentary series on Brady in 2021.
Tom Brady’s new documentary project
The Brady documentary “Man in the Arena” appears to be a look back at his life and career. Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. said it will be a nine-part series, presumably drafting off the success of the 10-part “The Last Dance” documentary on Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls.
It will appear on ESPN in 2021, Brady and the network said.
I have quoted Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena” speech since I saw it painted on our weight room wall at UM in 1995. It’s a constant reminder to ignore the noise, buckle my chinstrap, and battle through whatever comes my way.
Coming 2021 on @espn! pic.twitter.com/nm9SdFYB7D— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) May 21, 2020
Deadline said the series will be a “first-hand account of the most iconic moments of his NFL career.” Brady’s new production company, 199 Productions, is part of the project.
“I’m excited to have my company 199 Productions be in business with ESPN and Disney along with our Religion of Sports partners to launch this new series that gives an inside look into the championship moments I’ve been blessed to experience,” Brady said, via Deadline. “Through the series, we’re defining the key moments and challenges that were seemingly insurmountable, but through hard work and perseverance, became career-defining triumphs, in both victory and defeat.
“This compelling and powerful show will entertain, inspire and have you on the edge of your seat. We can’t wait to share it with the world.”
It’s just a question of whether the world outside of New England is ready to enjoy Brady’s unbelievable journey.
How will Brady doc be received?
Jordan has become a mythical figure, and while no athlete can have a 100 percent approval rating, Jordan’s must be close. The success of “The Last Dance” was partially due to the wide audience that wanted to watch what amounted to a celebration of Jordan’s career. Like the Brady doc, Jordan’s production company had a role in “The Last Dance.” That led to criticism about it being mostly a victory lap for Jordan.
People still watched in record numbers because Jordan’s greatness is celebrated. For any number of reasons Brady doesn’t have that type of popularity with all fans. That seems to be softening a bit with Brady’s move to the Buccaneers, which eliminates some of the Patriots fatigue, but it will still be interesting to see how a nine-part show made by Brady’s production company will be received.
Brady has mostly gone out of his way to not make any headlines about himself. Part of that is the Patriots hate outside distractions. Now that Brady is with Tampa Bay, we’ll get to see more of him than ever before. And we’re going to see a lot of him on ESPN in 2021.
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