As Tom Brady’s approval as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders moves forward, he will be forced to adhere to unique and severe restrictions in his dual role as an analyst on the Fox network, the league announced Thursday.
Brady is not allowed to be at another team’s facility, attend a practice or participate in broadcast production meetings, either in person or virtually. The lack of access to coaches and players before games may be the most severe restriction; those meetings, in which a broadcast crew meets with head coaches and key players, are often a vital source of information for the broadcast.
The rules, which the league presented to owners Tuesday at the NFL meetings in Eagan, Minn., on a slide titled “Brady – Broadcast Restrictions,” apply only to the seven-time Super Bowl champion and would not apply to other members of Fox’s teams. A league source told ESPN that owners have raised several questions about conflicts of interest in Brady’s potential role.
In addition to the access restrictions, Brady is subject to other league policies common to other owners.
– He is prohibited from publicly criticizing referees and other clubs. While Brady can, in theory, express his disagreement with a decision on air, he risks fines or even suspension if he goes too far.
– It is subject to the league’s betting policy.
– He is subject to the league’s anti-corruption policy. He is only allowed “strictly social communication with members of other clubs,” according to the league’s slide.
Brady works with play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt as part of Fox’s No. 1 NFL broadcast team. He signed a 10-year deal with the network through 2022, but the upcoming season is set to be Brady’s first as an analyst.
His efforts to become a minority owner of the Raiders organization have come under scrutiny from league owners since Brady presented his offer in May 2023.
The owners did not vote on the issue when they met in Orlando in March because they were concerned Brady would receive too big a discount from Mark Davis, the Raiders’ majority owner.
Brady has an ownership interest in the Las Vegas Aces, a women’s basketball team that plays in the WNBA and is owned by