Tom Brady to Face Harsh TV Restrictions If Raiders Ownership Stake Is Approved

Brady reportedly would be banned from visiting team facilities and meeting with players and coaches.

Aug 18, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady stands on the field before the start of the game between the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Brady's transition to broadcasting may not wind up being as smooth as he'd hoped.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Seth Wickersham reported the NFL was prepared to place harsh restrictions on Brady's broadcast access if he is approved as partial owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. He is set to take over as the color analyst in Fox's No. 1 NFL booth alongside Kevin Burkhardt.

The league confirmed to Wickersham that if Brady is an owner, he would not be allowed to enter another team's facility, watch practice, or attend broadcast meetings in-person or virtually. That would severely hamper his ability to deliver insightful information during games because he wouldn't be allowed to meet with coaches and players of the teams involved before games.

The rules were presented to owners on Tuesday and would seem to only apply to Brady, not the entire Fox broadcast crew. Brady's attempt to take a 10% ownership stake would need to be approved by a minimum of 24 of the league's 32 owners.

Among other restrictions as an owner, Brady would be subject to the league's gambling and anti-tampering policies, and would not be allowed to publicly criticize officials or other teams.

In 2017, then-Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen was added to several Fox broadcasts and faced some similar restrictions.

In 2022, Fox gave Brady a 10-year, $375 million contract to become its No. 1 analyst, and the network can't be thrilled about this development.