Tom Brady isn’t facing fearsome defenses on the field anymore, but he’s been subject to a different kind of blitz this year. Brady is in his second season as a top analyst for FOX Sports, but his first as a true minority owner with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Brady’s stake in the team means that he’s involved in some of the day-to-day operations, even appearing in the Raiders’ coaching booth with a headset during one of their games. Some have said that Brady’s insistence on performing roles is a conflict of interest.
As an analyst, his job requires conversations about strategy and scheme with coaches around the league. Some say that he can then take that information and use it with the Raiders, giving them an unfair advantage.
Brady has pushed back against that assertion, and he made some of his most pointed remarks about the matter in his newsletter this week.
The Former Quarterback’s Response to Criticism
“As a broadcaster, I want everyone who tunes into FOX on Sunday afternoons to feel like they got their money’s worth for the three hours they entrust to our entire team,” Brady said.
“We owe them a return on that investment, which is to do our jobs to the best of our abilities. For me, it’s to entertain and inform and to help create a great viewing experience by drawing on the deep well of knowledge and wisdom I have gained from playing high level football for nearly thirty years.”
Brady said that his love for football comes with a “moral and ethical duty,” and that “despite what the paranoid and distrustful might believe,” no conflict of interest exists with the Raiders.
“I’ve always been very open to helping anyone with questions about how to improve or to be the best they can be. I want them to have a chance to experience the kind of success I had,” the former quarterback continued.
“I want that for all the guys we bring into the Raiders organization and I want it for all the guys playing their guts out in each game I broadcast. I want everyone to play well, to do their best, to do their job, and ultimately to succeed. Football as a sport and the NFL as a business depend on it.”
How Has the NFL Responded To Brady?
Concerns about a potential conflict of interest between the two roles has intensified due to the Raiders’ current schedule.
Brady was on the call with FOX for the Bears-Cowboys game this past weekend, which meant that he spoke to Bears head coach Ben Johnson.
The Raiders play the Bears this week, but Johnson was adamant about not giving any “trade secrets” to the new Las Vegas owner in any of those production meetings for the Cowboys game.
We’ll see if any other coaches in the league take a stronger stance when dealing with a top analyst who also happens to own a potential opponent.
