Tom Brady is trapped in an impossible NFL job dilemma

Tom Brady's NFL broadcasting career is set to begin during Week 1 of the NFL season, as he'll be on the call for the Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns tilt. However, there are some complications behind the scenes that might force him to make a difficult decision.

While Brady embarks on his next chapter as an announcer, he's also looking to become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. This would cause an issue and a conflict of interest if his minority stake was approved, and he remained a part of the NFL on Fox's television coverage.

As a commentator, Brady receives special access to NFL players and coaches to allow him to prepare for the telecast. This inside information could become problematic if he becomes a minority owner of the Raiders. The glaring issue is that he could share confidential information from his broadcasting gig with Las Vegas in order to help them win.

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ESPN reported that Brady's level of access would be significantly reduced as a TV analyst if he joined Raiders ownership. He would not be allowed to enter other teams' facilities, watch their practices, or attend broadcast production meetings in person or virtually. This would greatly hinder Brady's ability to deliver background insights on television.

Current ESPN analyst and former NFL player Ryan Clark thinks this could damage Brady's credibility on TV. Clark told The Pivot podcast, “There is so much that goes into this that I think it is going to taint the perception of who he is when he is doing his job.”

Most NFL fans agreed that Greg Olsen has become one of the best color analysts in the NFL over the past few seasons, as his chemistry with Kevin Burkhardt was evident. But Fox Sports threw a huge bag of cash in Tom Brady's direction as a major bet that he would become one of the best at his new profession. Brady's addition drove changes for Olsen as the 2024 NFL season draws nearer.

Greg Olsen played 14 seasons in the NFL as a tight end for the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks. Football Reference displays his career statistics of 742 catches and 60 touchdowns. However, he’s been an asset covering NFL games, winning a Sports Emmy in 2024, according to CT Post’s website.

However, Olsen’s window as the lead color analyst was always going to be a temporary one. He told The Athletic, “We’ve been planning that for two years. We knew when we took the job that Brady was there whenever he was going to decide to come.”

Olsen could have chosen to feel spurned and not help his replacement, but he’s been more than willing to assist Brady with his new career path. Olsen told USA Today, “I was happy to share that with some of him. Everyone thinks it’s easy until you do it.”

However, Brady’s arrival means that Olsen’s earnings at Fox will take a noticeable hit.

Since Olsen is technically being demoted to the number two broadcast team at Fox Sports, he is losing a whopping $7 million per season, according to NBC Sports. He was earning $10 million per year as the lead analyst, and is set to earn $3 million on the second team.

Olsen told The New York Times, “I knew what I was signing up for. I’ve always said I’m a big boy.”

Olsen’s Emmy award-winning performances have made it difficult for Brady in a certain light. The Daily Mail commented that Brady doesn’t have much of a choice but to step in and excel at his new role, given the level of proficiency Olsen did the job with.

FOX Sports signed Tom Brady to a whopping 10-year, $375 million contract before he retired from the NFL, in order to secure his services on television.

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According to Fox Sports' website, Brady kept notes from every NFL game he played, and will use them in his new role as lead analyst.

As an NFL player, Brady thrived on being better than the players who lined up across the line of scrimmage. While there’s still an element of being the top broadcast in the sport, Brady is viewing this new challenge a bit differently, as he told Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd.

Brady told Cowherd, “I think for me, it’s about whether I put everything I could into it? Did I give the fans everything that they tuned in for? That’s really how I’ll end up gauging myself.”

Brady will be working with Erin Andrews, who is the on-field reporter for NFL games on Fox. She told Marca’s website, “His resume supports that he is great at everything he does, so why would this be any different?”

Yahoo Sports reported that former Fox Sports play by play announcer Joe Buck wants to make sure that Brady has a smooth transition into the booth. Buck, who now works for ESPN, told Yahoo, “He’s talked to intermediaries about maybe getting with me and having me help him, which I’m totally open to doing and would love to do.”

However, there are also some high profile members of the media who don’t think Brady will do all that well in his new job. Legendary sports radio host Mike Francesa told Mail Online, “I don’t think his heart is in it. I don’t think his personality is as such. I don’t think he’s going to be great at it, I really don’t.”

The former NFL tight end told The Athletic, “My end goal is to call premier games at the top of the ladder and that pursuit won’t change regardless of what happens this next year with my current role.”

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