Brady to face TV restrictions if approved as Raiders part-owner
Conflict of interest could be a big challenge for Tom Brady's potential dual role of broadcaster and minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Brady will face severe TV restrictions if he's approved as a Raiders owner, according to ESPN's Seth Wickersham.
As a team owner, the retired quarterback - who is also Fox's lead NFL game analyst starting this season - wouldn't be allowed in another team's facility and wouldn't be permitted to witness practice or attend broadcast production meetings, the league told Wickersham, who adds that another issue could be the lack of access to coaches and players before games. Those rules wouldn't apply to other Fox staffers.
The conditions were presented to NFL owners at a meeting in Minneapolis on Tuesday. They were shown on a slide titled "Brady - Broadcast Restrictions." NFL owners themselves had raised questions regarding the retired QB's potential role, a source told Wickersham.
Additionally, Brady would be subject to fines for publicly criticizing game officials and other clubs. He'd also be subject to the NFL's gambling policy and anti-tampering rules.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy pointed out that former Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen - who was replaced by Brady on Fox's top broadcast team - went through a similar situation in 2017 while calling some games for Fox as a player. At the time, Olsen wasn't allowed usual broadcast staff access for a game involving the Minnesota Vikings, who were an upcoming opponent of the Panthers.
In May 2023, Brady agreed to terms on a deal with the Raiders to become a minority owner in the team. Though the sale has yet to become official, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has repeatedly said that it's making progress. The move was reportedly delayed after Raiders owner Mark Davis offered a discounted price to Brady, which concerned the league's financial committee.
Brady's bid has been stuck in the league's finance committee, according to Wickersham. If it clears the committee, his ownership stake needs votes from at least 24 owners to be officially approved.