.Throughout his storied career, Tom Brady has had numerous iconic moments with the Las Vegas Raiders. Whether it was Brady's infamous Tuck Rule or becoming a part of the team's ownership group, Brady is somehow linked to the Raiders. However, with Brady now retired and beginning his career as a broadcaster with Fox Sports, his link to the Raiders could come into focus again.
The NFL has severely restricted Brady’s access as a Fox broadcaster once his bid to buy a chunk of the Raiders is finalized. It’s hard not to wonder whether Brady’s next move will be to abandon ship and focus on his Fox gig, with the network paying Brady handsomely for his color commentary. This uncertainty around his job has Brady feeling the pressure, as he shared in a recent interview.
“I actually had a crazy dream last night,” Brady said. “The Super Bowl was coming up, and I had yet to do a game. And Fox had it, and they called me up, and they’re like, ‘Hey, dude, you’re gonna do the Super Bowl.’ It was that day. And I was like, ‘That’s kind of f*cking weird, though.’ The Chiefs are in it, and I know the Chiefs. The 49ers are in it, and I know them. So, I could probably do it. And literally, I snapped out of it.”
Why the NFL has Tom Brady and the Raiders in a bind
By imposing the restrictions on Brady, the league wants him to step away from his ownership bid. It's in the NFL's best interest for Brady to be on Fox's primetime game every Sunday. People will be guaranteed to listen to Brady's insight, boosting revenue for the league.
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But Brady's ability to be the best on Sundays is hamstrung. He's got a taste of what it’s like to prepare with full access before the owners approve the transaction. However, the NFL is also preventing him from entering other facilities or preparing as other broadcasters do since he's trying to become the owner of a rival team.
Doing this puts Brady in an awkward spot, likely forcing him to withdraw his bid. If he doesn’t, the NFL has ways to force Brady's hand no matter what. All it takes is nine of the NFL's 32 current owners to reject Brady's Raiders bid. That majority would end his chances of joining the Raiders organization and give him full access as a broadcaster.
