It seems Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton isn’t fazed by the fuss over Tom Brady’s dual roles as a Los Angeles Raiders minority owner and Fox broadcaster.
The 48-year-old recently grabbed headlines when he was spotted in the Raiders’ coaching booth during their Week 2, 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football, headset on and seated next to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. While the NFL confirmed Brady did not violate any rules, prohibiting him from attending team practices and limiting his involvement in production meetings to remote participation, the optics provoked contention leaguewide.
When asked about the situation on Wednesday, Payton offered a terse, four-word reply, via Luca Evans of The Denver Post: “It doesn’t concern me.”
Expanding on his answer, he noted, “I understand he’s part ownership with a division opponent. I get that. Then he covers games. He covers NFC games. That doesn’t bother me.”
Payton’s perspective embodies the fact that Brady primarily covers NFC games for Fox, which typically does not conflict with the Broncos’ schedule.
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This isn’t the first time Payton and Brady’s paths have crossed. Three years ago, the Miami Dolphins explored pairing the two in South Florida, but now they find themselves on opposite sides of the AFC West.
Nonetheless, Payton remains unconcerned, even noting that if the Broncos appear on Fox’s “America’s Game of the Week,” he might adjust pregame routines to keep his players and coaches in the locker room longer, mirroring strategies once used by his mentor, Bill Parcells.
Brady’s dual roles have divided opinion. Though some team officials view his presence in the booth as unfair, at least three NFL coaches, including the Dallas Cowboys’ Brian Schottenheimer and Chicago Bears’ Ben Johnson, have publicly stated they are not worried about the arrangement. Reports surfaced that Brady speaks with Kelly multiple times per week. However, Raiders coach Pete Carroll denied any impropriety, manifesting Brady’s competitive nature and constant presence in the building.
Outside of these controversies, Payton and Brady are set to collaborate on the NFL’s Fanatics Flag Football Classic in March 2026 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event will feature NFL stars like Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, and Rob Gronkowski in five-on-five, 20-minute halves on a 50-yard field. Fox Sports will broadcast the event live, a major step in the league’s international growth, providing Payton and Brady an opportunity to work together off the traditional NFL field.