Goodell downplays conflict concerns over Brady's Raiders investment and FOX role
NFL says safeguards and guidelines mitigate potential conflicts as Brady continues broadcasting and ownership duties
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday downplayed concerns that Tom Brady's dual role as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and FOX Sports' top NFL analyst creates a conflict of interest.
Brady is in his second season as FOX's lead NFL analyst, a perch that affords him access to players and coaches that could raise questions about impartiality. During Week 2's Raiders-Chargers game, Brady was seen wearing a headset inside the Raiders' booth. The NFL said Brady is prohibited from going to team facilities for practices or production meetings, but he can be present in the coaches' booth.
Goodell told CNBC that teams may choose not to disclose information if they believe a conflict exists, and that many former players in broadcast meetings remain close to their teams. There are protocols to safeguard him from gaining unfair advantage. Where’s the conflict? He’s not hanging around in the facilities. We don’t allow that. In his debut season in the broadcast booth, Brady was barred from attending production meetings that included the broadcast crew, coaches and players. The league decided to loosen some restrictions for the 2025 season, allowing him to participate in those meetings remotely.
Brady, alongside lead FOX NFL voice Kevin Burkhardt, is scheduled to call Sunday’s game when the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has pushed back against critics, saying his intersecting roles reflect an ethical duty to grow and improve the game that has given him so much.
The broader discussion about Brady's access and ownership has spotlighted how leagues manage potential conflicts when owners also appear in media roles, and how teams navigate disclosure and access as rules evolve for the 2025 season.