NFL Makes It Clear That Teams Can't Ban Tom Brady's Crew From Practices
10/17/2024 03:46 PM
Now that he's an NFL owner, Tom Brady will face several noteworthy obstacles to effectively analyzing games for FOX. The conflict of interest at least won't directly deter his broadcasting colleagues.
On Tuesday, NFL owners unanimously approved Brady's bid to purchase a minority share of the Las Vegas Raiders. As a result, the 47-year-old faces several restrictions as a color commentator. Among them, the former star quarterback can't attend another team's practice.
Pro Football Talk wondered if another team would attempt to also ban Brady's coworkers out of fear of them sharing intel with a competitor. That immediately comes into play with the seven-time Super Bowl champion working Sunday's game between the San Francisco 49ers and his new AFC West rival, the Kansas City Chiefs.
However, per PFT's Mike Florio, a league source confirmed during Thursday's conference call that teams cannot prohibit Kevin Burkhardt, Erin Andrews, or Tom Rinaldi from attending their practices.
Brady's new ownership role also means he can't attend FOX broadcasting meetings. Additionally, he must somehow find a way to discuss games without criticizing other teams or league officials.
Yet NFL executive Jeff Miller confirmed that Brady can still work Raiders games. The Raiders only have two games on FOX this year, and the network probably won't assign the main broadcast crew to a 2-4 team that just traded Davante Adams anyway.
Despite these barriers, Brady looks poised to attempt to juggle both positions. He's also expected to have a "prominent voice" in Las Vegas' football operations.
Brady posted a note on social media saying he's "humbled and excited" to see his ownership bid approved.
"I'm eager to contribute to the organization in any way I can, honoring the Raiders' rich tradition while finding every possible opportunity to improve our offering for fans," Brady wrote Tuesday. "And most importantly, WIN football games."
Related: Everyone's Wondering How Tom Brady Is Going To Do His Job After Raiders Ownership
