Tom Brady did nothing unsuitable.
That’s based on the NFL, which stated Brady didn’t break any guidelines by sitting within the Las Vegas Raiders’ coaches’ sales space with a headset on throughout Monday evening’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Brady is a Raiders minority proprietor, however he’s additionally an NFL broadcaster for Fox, which raised questions on whether or not Monday evening’s actions had been a battle of curiosity.
“There are no policies that prohibit an owner from sitting in the coaches’ booth or wearing a headset during a game,” an NFL spokesman stated in an announcement Tuesday. “Brady was sitting in the booth in his capacity as a limited partner.”
ESPN cameras confirmed Brady within the coaches’ sales space throughout its broadcast of the Raiders’ 20-9 loss at Allegiant Stadium, providing one other reminder concerning the line Brady should stroll in his twin roles.
Brady, a seven-time Tremendous Bowl champion with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is within the second season of a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox, for whom he’s the lead analyst.
Final yr, the NFL barred him from taking part within the manufacturing conferences between the published crew and the groups it’s protecting in a given week resulting from his place with the Raiders.
This yr, the NFL eased these guidelines, permitting Brady to participate in these manufacturing conferences, however solely remotely. Brady can not attend practices or conferences at a staff facility or resort, based on the NFL.
“He may also conduct an interview off site with a player like he did last year a couple times, including for the Super Bowl,” the NFL stated. “Of course, as with any production meeting with broadcast teams, it’s up to the club, coach or players to determine what they say in those sessions.”
Nonetheless, Monday’s viral second didn’t sit properly with many throughout the NFL realm, together with former quarterback Boomer Esiason, who questioned on his WFAN present how Brady can stay goal doing each jobs.
“You’re allowing a guy to sit there who’s a part-owner of a team, which is fine, and now he’s involved in these game plans, and this week he’s got … Bears-Cowboys. And now he’s going to be meeting with these coaches and talking about players?” Esiason stated.
“That is utter B.S. as far as I’m concerned, because it tilts the balance of competitiveness, because now he has intimate knowledge of the team that he owns, the Raiders. He’s sitting in there listening and talking to GMs. He’s also talking to other coaching staffs and other players around the league.”
ESPN’s Marcus Spears shared an analogous sentiment.
“It’s abhorrent for me for his job. I love it for his team,” Spears stated on “First Take,” earlier than including, “This should not happen with him being a commentator of NFL football games. It actually questions the integrity of the NFL.”
