One of the precious few downsides of being a highly successful person is that your inner circle often has too many yes-men. People who care about you aren’t afraid to provide constructive criticism, especially when you’re doing something new. Tom Brady isn’t a typical broadcaster or a typical minority owner.
His on-the-field résumé puts him in a class by himself. However, as the top Fox Sports analyst and Raiders minority owner, he has yet to prove he’s good at either. It’s reasonable to wonder if splitting his attention between these positions is preventing him from excelling at both.
Set aside, for the moment, the conflicts of interest. It doesn’t seem to matter to his bosses. Brady is rich and powerful and doesn’t need to answer to anyone. But if there’s one thing Brady has learned over his 20-year playing career, it’s that to be the best, you need to have a singular focus. Right now, his attention is divided, and it’s probably not to the benefit of either of his jobs.
Tom Brady back in the Fox booth for his second game. pic.twitter.com/b2oHGFSBo9
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 15, 2024
How can he focus on one when Brady is starting two high-profile careers? He’s part of the No.1 broadcasting team for Fox Sports, and, according to multiple reports, he’s calling the shots for the Raiders. This is not normal. Most minority owners don’t wield that kind of power, but Raiders owner Mark Davis has turned the keys of the franchise over to Brady.
Brady is the ultimate jack of two trades and the master of none.
As a broadcaster, Brady was underwhelming. That’s not acceptable when you’re in the first year of a 10-year, $375 million contract. Brady recently said that he is not interested in critiquing players. It’s not surprising but certainly disappointing for those of us who consume the NFL. Brady got the record-breaking deal presumably because, as the only person to win seven Super Bowls, he would have insights no other person on the planet would have. He might have those distinct observations, but apparently, he has no interest in sharing them with us.
Is it because, as a former player, he didn’t like it when media members criticized him? Or is it something else? His relationship with the Raiders raises questions about his motivations. Does Brady, the broadcaster, refrain from critiquing players because he might have an interest in acquiring them as a minority owner? It’s perfectly fine to speculate because of the conflict of interest.
Tom Brady is going to have a big hand in helping Mark Davis navigate the Raiders’ future.@DMRussini and @ChaseDaniel discuss what that could look like on this episode of Scoop City. pic.twitter.com/q2hCRCtj7o
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) December 27, 2024
For argument’s sake, let’s give Tom Brady the benefit of the doubt for a second. Imagine a hypothetical scenario where he performs well on television and does a decent job; how much is that taking away from his ability to spend time running the Raiders? Las Vegas made two significant hires in the offseason: a new coach (Pete Carroll) and a new general manager (John Spytek). Brady also had input on the personnel decisions made by the Raiders, including drafting running back Ashton Jeanty and trading for Geno Smith.
If the Raiders show signs of improvement, Brady will get well-deserved credit. If they flounder, he’ll take the blame, and some will accuse him of spreading himself too thin by also working in the media. The AFC West should be as competitive as it has ever been, with the Kansas City Chiefs gunning for a fourth straight trip to the Super Bowl, the Denver Broncos looking better, and the Los Angeles Chargers on the rise.
At least one of those teams is in for disappointment. The betting odds say it will be Las Vegas.
Understandably, Tom Brady has all the confidence that he can pull off double duty. That’s how a sixth-round draft pick becomes the GOAT. But that was playing football. Broadcasting football and overseeing football operations simultaneously appears overwhelming, even for Brady.