The NFL is prepared to hit Tom Brady with “severe restrictions” in his role as broadcaster with Fox should he be approved as part owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
A presentation delivered to team owners at Tuesday’s NFL meetings in Minneapolis, according to ESPN, shows the legendary quarterback “will be forced to abide by unique and severe restrictions in his dual role”.
That’s Tom Brady – even off the field, he’s still forcing the NFL to create new rules!
The list of restrictions could seriously hinder his ability to analyze or comment on games or during halftime, pre-game, and post-game reports.
Brady, according to reporter Seth Wickersham, would have the following handcuffs placed on him:
- Not be permitted to be in another team’s facility.
- Not be permitted to witness practice.
- Not be permitted to attend broadcast production meetings, either in person or virtually.
But other than that …
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Tom Brady Will Be Limited At Fox
Imagine being Fox and hearing this news about Tom Brady.
You’ve just hired the highest-profile former NFL player on the planet for an exorbitant amount of money – the largest in sports broadcasting history, a 10-year contract worth $375 million – and he can’t do half of the required aspects of the job?
“The lack of access to coaches and players before games could be the most severe restriction,” Wickersham reports. “Those meetings, at which a broadcast crew meets with the matchup’s head coaches and key players, are often a lifeblood of insight for the telecast.”
In addition to the above access restrictions, the league also wants to quash some of Brady’s ability to provide simple commentary. He can’t overly criticize officiating and can only maintain ‘strict social communication’ with members of other teams.
In short, if Brady is approved as part-owner of the Raiders, it’s going to be a mess for him and Fox.
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Will He Become An Owner?
Brady has previously talked about restrictions he might face if he were to join the ownership team of the Raiders. But those were in relation to his possibly playing again.
“I’m not opposed to it,” Brady said of coming out of retirement. “I don’t know if they’re going to let me if I become the owner of an NFL team. But I don’t know — I’m always going to be in good shape, always be able to throw the ball.”
“To come in for a little bit like [Michael Jordan] coming back, I don’t know if they’d let me, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”
The league is currently reviewing an agreement between the 7-time Super Bowl champion and Raiders owner Mark Davis to join the Raider’s ownership group.
The fact that the league took the time to make this extensive presentation to quell the concerns of other owners regarding conflicts of interest seems to suggest they are taking the proposal quite seriously.
Brady is set to make his official NFL broadcasting debut with Fox Sports in a little over a week. He will be part of the broadcast team for the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.
Brady will work alongside lead play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
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