Throughout Tom Brady’s tenure as the lead color analyst at Fox, concerns have been raised about the potential conflict of interest arising from his other role in the NFL as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. And those very critics of Brady’s role at Fox indeed received fuel for the conflict of interest fire during ESPN’s broadcast of Monday’s matchup between the Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers.
During the first quarter of Monday’s game, ESPN’s Peter Schrager, serving as an on-field reporter, informed fans watching at home that Brady was not only in attendance at the game but was also sitting alongside the coaches inside the coaches’ booth at Allegiant Stadium.
Brady was shown on ESPN’s broadcast sitting alongside the Raiders coaches with a headset on. And when he was shown on camera, it certainly seemed like Brady wasn’t all that comfortable being shown, slumping in his seat slightly as he entered the frame.
As Brady was shown, Schrager, Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick, and Dan Orlovsky discussed all the ways Brady was involved in the operations within the Raiders organization.
“We’ve got a special member of the Raiders ownership group here today, and that is Tom Brady, who is in the house and is with the coaches box here tonight,” said Schrager. “Was wondering how much Brady really had an involvement with this team. We hear so much about Brady as the owner. Chip Kelly told us this. He talks to Brady two to three times a week. They go through film, they go through the gameplan. And Brady is a luxury for the coaches. Who else has an owner who has been there and done that.”
“Chip says he uses him as a resource every single week,” added Fowler.
“Yup, why wouldn’t you?” added Riddick.
“Think about the advantage,” said Orlovsky. “Chip Kelly saying two to three times a week, ‘Hey, what do I do against double A-gap pressure versus this defensive coordinator?’ Patrick Graham, the defensive coordinator of the Raiders, talked about in the first preseason game, they struggled to tackle. Tom Brady sent him a text, ‘Figure it out fast.’ It seems he is very involved.”
ESPN’s Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky, Louis Riddick, and Peter Schrager on Raiders minority owner and Fox analyst Tom Brady, who’s in the coaches’ box tonight. 🏈🎙️ #NFL #MNF pic.twitter.com/fb0SfCqZLy
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 16, 2025
Brady has previously described his role in Las Vegas as a “long-term, kind of behind-the-scenes type role”. However, based on this commentary from the Monday Night Football crew, Brady’s role is also very involved in the short term.
This obviously begs the question once again. If Brady is so closely connected to the Raiders coaches that he texts with them on a regular occasion, should there be concern about him being allowed inside Fox’s production meetings with players and coaches from opposing teams?
“Tom Brady meets with Chip Kelly 2-3 times a week to go over film and go through the game plan. And every weekend Brady is calling a game for Fox, gathering as much information as possible from players and coaches from both teams to be at his best in the broadcast booth. Got it,” wrote James Palmer of The Athletic.
Tom Brady meets with Chip Kelly 2-3 times a week to go over film and go through the game plan.
And every weekend Brady is calling a game for Fox, gathering as much information as possible from players and coaches from both teams to be at his best in the broadcast booth. Got it.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) September 16, 2025
“Oh ya. No conflict of interest here for Tom Brady,” wrote CBS Sports Radio host Andrew Perloff.
Oh ya. No conflict of interest here for Tom Brady. pic.twitter.com/obSrNY1YWs
— Andrew Perloff (@andrewperloff) September 16, 2025
“Why would any team ever allow him into their building again to interview their players as a broadcaster?” wrote Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated.
Why would any team ever allow him into their building again to interview their players as a broadcaster? https://t.co/2J1GsH1l9X
— Conor Orr (@ConorOrr) September 16, 2025
“Tom Brady meets with the Raiders 2x a week to discuss offensive game-plans and situations. Tom Brady meets with 31 other NFL teams weekly to discuss game-plans and teams insider info to call games for Fox. ???” wrote NFL defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko.
Tom Brady meets with the Raiders 2x a week to discuss offensive game-plans and situations.
Tom Brady meets with 31 other NFL teams weekly to discuss game-plans and teams insider info to call games for Fox.
???
— Breiden Fehoko (@BreidenFehoko) September 16, 2025
If alarm bells weren’t already ringing about Brady’s overlapping roles in football, they certainly are now.
And given that Brady is set to call the Week 3 matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears, which is followed by a Week 4 matchup between Brady’s Raiders and the Bears, expect the Bears to be incredibly tight-lipped when Brady participates in production meetings this week.