Tom Brady and His Presence in the Raiders’ Booth: Rule Violation?
The NFL has confirmed that Tom Brady did not break any rules by using a headset in the Las Vegas Raiders’ coaching booth during Monday Night’s game. According to a statement issued on Tuesday, the league clarified the situation of the former quarterback, who is a minority owner of the Raiders and a Fox commentator.The NFL states that Brady is prohibited from attending production practices or meetings at the team’s facilities. However, he is allowed to be in the coaching booth, acting in his role as a limited partner. During the broadcast of the game, Brady was seen in the Raiders’ booth with a headset during the first quarter of the match against the Los Angeles Chargers, which ended in a 20-9 defeat for the Raiders. Raiders coach Pete Carroll said Brady “is not planning games with us”.“There are no policies that prohibit an owner from sitting in the coaches’ booth or wearing a headset during a game,” said NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy.
Brian McCarthy, NFL spokesman
After a 23-year playing career, Brady made his debut on Fox last season with a 10-year, $375 million contract, originally agreed upon in 2022. Due to his agreement to become a partial owner of the Raiders, certain limitations were imposed on Brady, an agreement that was approved by the league’s owners in October. As a commentator, Brady has access to players and coaches from other teams, which raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Recently, the NFL relaxed some of the restrictions for Brady in this role, allowing him to participate in production meetings remotely, although he cannot attend practices at the team’s facilities. Carroll and general manager John Spytek have consulted with Brady on decisions related to the roster during the offseason. Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has also stated that he speaks with Brady several times a week. However, Carroll clarified that reports about how often Brady and Kelly talk about the game plan are not accurate. Brady is scheduled to commentate on the Week 3 game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears. The Raiders will play against the Bears the following week.“He doesn’t talk to us about anything other than our casual conversations. They are not structured in any way. He knows, he has been very respectful of what he does, otherwise. He is of the opinion that he doesn’t want to be that kind of factor, so he isn’t,” explained Carroll.
Pete Carroll, Raiders coach
