Predictably, it took the uber-competitive Tom Brady more than one try at kicking his football addiction. While his first retirement didn’t take, the second one did. That’s likely because, by the time he did make it official and permanent in early 2023, he’d already made inroads in keeping himself as close as possible to the game even in retirement.
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During his final season in 2022, it was announced that Fox would be hiring Brady as their top NFL color commentator with a ridiculous 10-year, $375 million deal. However, just a few months after Brady actually hung up his cleats, it was reported that he was angling for a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders as well.
This created a very strange and very unique set of circumstances for the NFL’s GOAT. While his position in the Raiders’ ownership group was not a common storyline last season, that is likely to change this year. Brady has been very visible and involved in executing Vegas’ offseason plans, and he was spotted keeping an eye on things at Raiders training camp on Friday.
The GOAT: #Raiders minority owner Tom Brady was at practice today, decked out in team gear.
( @nickwalt)
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 1, 2025
If you can dig up an example over the last 75 years of a team owner being as prominent a figure in the league’s media as Brady is, we’d love to see it. Because we couldn’t find any. This is an unprecedented scenario, and of course, Brady is at the center of it. When he first tried to purchase a stake, other NFL owners rejected it because they believed the Raiders were giving him a discount. They didn’t want him over there.
But now, with Brady now doing things like recruiting free agents, working with new players, and even showing up to training camp, his role as an “unbiased” color commentator for Fox seems dubious. “Lmao how is he still an announcer,” commented one fan on the video of Brady skulking around Raiders camp. “How is he allowed to be an objective announcer?” asked another.
That’s what most fans are thinking. But Raiders fans couldn’t care less. They’ve been in the dungeons of the NFL for so long, they’re just happy to see successful people looking after their club. “I hope mark Davis gave him the keys to do anything he pleases,” said one. “Tom is the culture changer. Raiders are sneakyyy,” said another.
The commentator/owner paradox for Brady is slightly helped by the fact that the league has placed many restrictions on what he can do and say as a commentator. These include but are not limited to (via ESPN):
- Not be permitted to be in another team’s facility.
- Not be permitted to witness practice.
- Not be permitted to attend broadcast production meetings, either in person or virtually.
- Prohibited from publicly criticizing game officials and other clubs. While Brady could, in theory, state that he disagrees with a call on air, he would be subject to fines or even a suspension if he went too far.
- Subject to the league’s gambling policy.
- Subject to the league’s anti-tampering policies. He would be permitted only ‘strictly social communication with members of other clubs,’ according to the slide that the league presented.
That’s a lot, but there’s still something about an owner framing football games of other teams that his team is competing against. There would seem to be easy ways for Brady to shape the public’s perception of himself and other teams in the league from his perch in the Fox booth.
It’s just icky. Not right. Imagine if Mario Lemieux (former superstar player and now owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins) became the voice of Hockey Night in Canada, or if Michael Jordan (NBA GOAT, previous owner of the Charlotte Hornets) got on the mic during TNT broadcasts.
It would feel a bit disingenuous. Tom Brady is Tom Brady, so he can do what he wants. But we reckon he prefers the ownership gig—and no doubt he is better at it—so we wouldn’t be surprised if he gravitates more to that in the next few years. We’d be shocked if he “played out” his entire 10-year deal with Fox.
