Tom Brady set the NFL world ablaze on Monday night after he was seen sitting in the Raiders' coaches' booth—headset and all—during their loss to the Chargers in Los Vegas. Brady, of course, is both a minority owner of the Raiders, and Fox Sports' lead NFL color commentator (with access to pre-game production meetings)—sparking quite the conflict of interest debate over the last 12-plus hours.
Mix that in with a report from ESPN's Peter Schrager that Brady meets with Las Vegas offensive coordinator Chip Kelly "two to three times a week"—one that was ultimately shot down by head coach Pete Carroll—and the NFL has seemingly felt the need to release a statement on the matter:
"There are no policies that prohibit an owner from sitting in the coaches’ booth or wearing a headset during a game," the league said, via NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. "Brady was sitting in the booth in his capacity as a limited partner.”
From the NFL on Tom Brady: “There are no policies that prohibit an owner from sitting in the coaches’ booth or wearing a headset during a game. Brady was sitting in the booth in his capacity as a limited partner.”pic.twitter.com/dmebVaOBYg
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 16, 2025
"All personnel sitting in the booth must abide by policies that prohibit the use of electronic devices other than league-issued equipment such as a Microsoft Surface Tablet for the Sideline Viewing System ... " the statement continues. "Tom continues to be prohibited from going to a team facility for practices or production meetings. He may attend production meetings remotely but may not attend in person at the team facility or hotel. He may also conduct an interview off site with a player like he did last year a couple times, including for the Super Bowl. Of course, as with any production meeting with broadcast teams, it’s up to the club, coach or players to determine what they say in those sessions."
This is likely just the tip of the iceberg, given that it's now only Week 3 of what's set to be a long NFL season. Perhaps Brady, who also signed on to play Flag Football in Saudi Arabia next spring, has his eggs in a few too many baskets.
The Raiders (1-1) head to Washington next Sunday to take on the Commanders, while Brady will be on the call for Fox's broadcast of Cowboys vs. Bears in Chicago.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Releases Statement on Tom Brady Sitting in Raiders Coaches' Booth on Monday Night.
