Tom Brady dismisses conflict of interest concerns, calls critics 'paranoid and distrustful'

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LOS ANGELES — Tom Brady has addressed concerns about his dual roles as a Fox Sports NFL analyst and partial owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, saying only those “paranoid and distrustful” believe there’s a conflict of interest.

Brady wrote about the concerns in “The 199,” his weekly newsletter, which was published Wednesday.

The questions about Brady intensified after he was shown in the Raiders’ coaching booth with a headset on during a 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 15.

Brady wrote: “I love football. At its core it is a game of principles. And with all the success it has given me, I feel I have a moral and ethical duty to the sport; which is why the point where my roles in it intersect is not actually a point of conflict, despite what the paranoid and distrustful might believe. Rather, it’s the place from which my ethical duty emerges: to grow, evolve, and improve the game that has given me everything.”

The NFL said Brady did not violate any rules by being in the coaches box because there aren’t any policies that prohibit an owner from sitting in the booth or wearing a headset during a game.

Brady also was in the booth when the Raiders played the San Francisco 49ers in a preseason game on Aug. 16 in Las Vegas. Whether he is at the Raiders’ other two prime-time, non-Sunday games remains to be seen. Las Vegas is at Denver on Thursday, Nov. 6, and then host Dallas on Monday, Nov. 17.

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The NFL has previously placed restrictions on Brady in his role as a broadcaster, though the league eased some of those this season. Brady is now allowed to participate in production meetings with teams ahead of a game, as long as they are conducted virtually or via Zoom. He still isn’t allowed to watch another team’s practices or set foot in a team’s training complex.

The Brady rules were put in place because the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback has a 5% ownership stake in the Raiders.

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