Tom Brady has said only the “paranoid and distrustful” doubt that he can work as both a broadcaster and team owner in the NFL.
Since he retired from playing, Brady has become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and taken up a role as an analyst with Fox. As part of his broadcasting role, Brady has access to others teams’ players and coaches, an option unavailable to owners of other NFL teams. Some believe his dual role brings up a conflict of interest and gives Brady and, by extension, the Raiders an unfair advantage over other teams. The topic drew even more debate last week when Brady was seen in the Raiders’ coaching booth during the team’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The NFL said Brady did not break any rules.
In Wednesday’s edition of his weekly newsletter, Brady addressed the criticism.
“When you live through uncertain and untrusting times like we are today, it is very easy to watch a person’s passions and profession intersect, and to believe you’re looking at some sort of dilemma. Because when you’re blinded by distrust, it’s hard to see anything other than self-interest,” Brady wrote.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion added that he is aware of the ethics of his roles in retirement.
“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,” he wrote.
On Sunday, Brady was in the Fox commentary booth for the Chicago Bears’ victory over the Dallas Cowboys. In the run-up to that game, Brady had access to coaches and players for the Bears, who the Raiders face this week. However, Chicago head coach Ben Johnson said he was unbothered by Brady’s presence. Johnson said he had no intention of giving “trade secrets” to Brady.
