“Ian Rapoport Knows That Tom Brady is Potentially Tampering Here”: Jason Whitlock Blames NFL GOAT for Reporter Dispute at Starbucks

Jason Whitlock has found a way to blame Tom Brady for the Jordan Schultz vs Ian Rapoport drama.

The drama between the two journalists became the biggest headline of last week after the two were spotted getting into a heated argument at a Starbucks in Indianapolis. At the heart of their dispute was the little nugget of information Schult had reported earlier.

Prior to his upgraded deal with the Rams, Matthew Stafford was rumored to be in consideration for multiple franchises. The New York Giants were his most aggressive suitor, but the Las Vegas Raiders threw their hat in the ring, too. And it seems that Tom Brady personally tried to woo him. Schultz reported that Brady hosted Stafford at his Montana home in February, presumably to discuss a partnership in Las Vegas. This is where things got complicated.

Rapoport disputed this claim, labeling it an “unplanned” encounter. Rapoport’s response irked Schultz, as he saw it to be the NFL Media reporter undermining his reporting and confronted him at the NFL Scouting Combine. And Whitlock doesn’t think the Fox reporter did anything wrong.

According to Whitlock, Rapoport was “covering for Brady” and knew that the NFL GOAT was involved in potential tampering and hence downplayed Schultz reporting to say that it was only a coincidence.

“If I break a story… and then someone comes right out and contradicts [it]… I’d be upset… I don’t blame Jordan Schultz for being very upset and [for] being like, ‘come on, man. You think these guys accidentally ran into each other?’… he’s arguing, ‘hey, Ian Rapoport knows that [Tom] Brady is potentially tampering here,'” Whitlock said on his podcast.

However, the NFL has already declared that Brady taking with Stafford is not to be considered tampering since Stafford already had “permission to seek a trade” from the Rams. Had Los Angeles not allowed him to search for a new team, though, Brady may have been penalized for his actions.

Brady has experience supposedly stretching the league’s rules as a player. He was infamously suspended four games for his role in the New England Patriots’ 2014 postseason “Deflategate” scandal. He also played for the ’07 Patriots, who were docked a first-round draft pick for “Spygate.” With Brady having even more power in the league now as a part-owner, Whitlock is convinced that he will be more prone to bending the rules in his favor.