Tom Brady Appears in Raiders Coaching Booth During Monday Night Football
Raiders minority owner and Fox announcer watched Las Vegas’ 20-9 loss to the Chargers from the team’s coaching box as questions about his involvement resurfaced
Tom Brady sat in the Las Vegas Raiders’ coaching box during Monday Night Football, wearing a headset and observing the team’s 20-9 home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers as a Fox broadcaster and minority owner.
The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, who holds a 5 percent stake approved by the NFL last October, had just called the Philadelphia Eagles’ 20-17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs for Fox the previous day. ESPN’s broadcast captured Brady in a suit and tie in the back row of the coaching box, appearing to work with a laptop while wearing a headset.
Brady’s presence in the coaching booth revived discussion about how involved he is with day-to-day Raiders operations. Fox and other broadcasters have noted the NFL lifted a league restriction this offseason that had previously barred Brady from attending midweek broadcast meetings during his first season as a network commentator. The league continues to prohibit him from attending team practices.
ESPN analyst Peter Schrager told viewers during Monday’s broadcast that Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly talks with Brady "two to three times a week" and described the former quarterback as "a luxury for the coaches." Brady’s arrival in Las Vegas followed a Sunday visit to Kansas City, where he watched the Chiefs on the road before flying west for the Raiders’ matchup.
New Raiders coach Pete Carroll said the report of multiple weekly calls between Kelly and Brady misstated the frequency but acknowledged regular communication. "That's not accurate," Carroll said. "We have conversations. I talk to Tom. Chip talks to Tom regularly. We have a tremendous asset. We all get along, we respect each other so we just talk about life and football and whatever comes. He has great insight. We're lucky to have him as an owner."
Former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky noted on the broadcast that Brady’s experience provides an advantage for a franchise that has struggled in recent years. Orlovsky cited examples of Brady offering straightforward feedback to coaches, including an exchange in which defensive coordinator Patrick Graham was told to "figure it out fast" after tackling issues in a preseason game.
The NFL’s decision to allow Brady to attend midweek meetings follows his transition into a dual role as broadcaster and minority owner. League rules had limited his access during his initial broadcasting season; the revised permissions this year enable him to participate in some team scouting and planning conversations while maintaining restrictions on practice attendance to avoid competitive conflicts.
Brady and play-by-play partner Kevin Burkhardt are scheduled to broadcast the Week 3 game from Chicago, where the Bears will host the Dallas Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Raiders, meanwhile, will seek to rebound from Monday night’s loss as they navigate a season in which the level of Brady’s off-field involvement remains a focus of attention both inside the organization and among national media.
