Viewers may never know whether Tom Brady is a transcendent football analyst or an unlistenable bore because he’s chosen to handcuff himself by becoming a part owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The NFL placed restrictions on Brady in August when his purchase of a 10% stake in the Raiders was pending approval. League owners unanimously approved the deal Tuesday, meaning the limitations on what he can say and how he can go about his job as a Fox broadcaster remain in place as long as he is a franchise co-owner.
And the restrictions are onerous. Brady can’t criticize other teams or game officials and he can’t attend broadcast production meetings that serve as the primary means of preparing for games. He also isn’t allowed in the facilities of any team besides the Raiders except in stadiums when he’s calling a game, and he can’t watch practices.
No obstacle was too great for Brady as a player. He is unquestionably the best quarterback of all time, playing 23 seasons through age 45 and winning a record seven Super Bowls. He holds the all-time records for most passes (12,050), completions (7,753), yards (89,214) and touchdowns (649).
Brady leveraged his on-field excellence, good looks and boyish charm to land a 10-year, $375-million contract as a color commentator for Fox without a single day of experience. Early reviews have been mixed, with his debut effort widely panned but improvement each week noted.
How can he possibly get better? How can he be honest? The restrictions are the same for all owners, an attempt to ensure they don’t favor their team or gain inside information about opposing franchises. Commentators are supposed to be neutral, unbiased and unafraid to tell it like they see it.
How Brady navigates his commentary while unable to criticize anyone or even prepare sufficiently will be interesting. It doesn’t seem like he’s sweating it so far.
“I’m tired from the buildup,” Brady said while yawning on his “Last Week with Tom” YouTube series after his debut calling the Dallas Cowboys’ game at the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 8. “A lot of emotional energy and not quite knowing how things are gonna go. Certainly, a lot of fun. Definitely things to clean up. So, it’s all a learning process.”
He’s gotten comfortable enough in six weeks to throw lighthearted shade at Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning during Brady’s call of the Detroit Lions and Cowboys on Sunday, downplaying Manning’s record 55 touchdown passes in 2013 by saying many were the result of pick plays.
“Over the years, they’ve gotten really tight on calling those pick plays. Any remote contact was a flag,” Brady said after the Lions had a touchdown taken away for offensive pass interference on an illegal pick. “I saw Peyton Manning when he threw 55 touchdowns — there were more pick plays in that offense than in the history of NFL football. Since then, they’ve been cracking down. Believe me, I tried to use them all the time, too.”
Brady’s 10% ownership of the Raiders falls short of the 30% threshold for being considered a majority owner, meaning that decision-making power remains with Mark Davis, who owns about 60% of the franchise. But a league source told Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Brady is expected to have a strong voice, further muddying his Sunday gig with Fox.
“It doesn’t matter what percentage he owns, it’s the percentage that the owner entrusts him to advise and help make football decisions,” the source said. “And I think Mark will give him a long leash with that.”
For his part, Brady is thrilled that he was approved as an owner.
“I’m incredibly humbled and excited to have been unanimously approved as an owner of the Las Vegas Raiders,” he posted on X. “Throughout my NFL career, I’ve learned that at its core, football is a game of teamwork, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. The Raiders franchise, and the city of Las Vegas embody these same values, and I’m honored to become part of that story.
“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 to fans… and most important, WIN football games.”