Complicated $375 million role: NFL suddenly silences megastar Tom Brady

Complicated 375 million role
NFL suddenly silences megastar Tom Brady

04.09.2024, 14:23

Former football star Tom Brady has had a new, multi-million dollar job as a TV pundit since this NFL season. But suddenly the league stopped granting him access to the teams. The reason: Brady wants too much and a tricky conflict of interest arises.

The man has a clue, that much is clear. Tom Brady played 23 seasons in the National Football League, he won the Super Bowl trophy seven times, he is considered the GOAT, the greatest of all time. Now Brady is becoming a TV pundit. For the new season, which begins on Friday night, he will be moving behind the microphone for the Fox Sports channel. But it seems extremely doubtful whether he will set standards in this job too – because despite his glorious past, Brady is in danger of becoming an expert without expertise.

This is because the former star quarterback will simply miss the exclusive insights. The training grounds of the NFL teams? No access for Brady. The obligatory pre-game talks between TV stations and head coaches and key players? No access for Brady. The league informed the club owners of these decisions last week. The US sports channel ESPN reported on a document entitled “Brady – Broadcast Restrictions”.

But why is the league apparently silencing the expert Brady? The reason is a conflict of interest that Brady may soon have to face. The football legend will not only work on TV in the future, but will also become a shareholder in the NFL team Las Vegas Raiders. If the deal goes through, he will not be allowed to publicly criticize any referee. Difficult in his role as an expert.

Requirements are a major problem

NFL managers and coaches like to guard their internal information and match plans like others guard their gold jewelry. A co-owner of a rival team gaining insight? Out of the question! And so the league seems to want to force Brady to make a decision: TV expert or team owner. He can’t have both. At least not without huge cuts.

Not only Brady himself is unlikely to be happy about the conditions, but also his employer Fox Sports. Fox Sports has given the 47-year-old, who ended his active career last year, a ten-year contract. Brady will receive a princely $375 million for this. Neither the TV station nor the Las Vegas Raiders initially wanted to comment on the events when asked by ESPN.

There is a precedent in the NFL, which league spokesman Brian McCarthy pointed out: In 2017, Greg Olsen was still under contract with the Carolina Panthers and still commented on some games for Fox. At a Minnesota Vikings game, however, Olsen had to forego insider knowledge because the Vikings were due to play his Panthers shortly afterwards. Tom Brady faces a similar fate – but on a much larger scale.