Tom Brady’s presence in the coaches’ booth has created a media frenzy in the 48 hours since the Raiders hosted the Chargers on Monday night, but the league’s most decorated analyst thinks the situation has been largely overblown.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter talked on Tuesday about Tom Brady’s perceived conflict of interest as a FOX employee and minority owner of the Raiders, and he doesn’t believe the situation should create cause for concern.
“I don’t buy into it as much as other people do. I think, forgive me for being trusting and understanding, but I think Tom Brady understands what’s professional and moral,” Schefter said.
“I don’t think he’s sneaking into the chief’s facility as a broadcaster, stealing secrets and then dispensing them to the Raiders. The information that he gets, we all can watch the film and see tendencies of players. He’s studying a lot of film with a lot of guys, and I just think these things [are] a little bit overstated. I understand why people raise it. I just think people are being a little oversensitive about it in my mind.”
From the day he arrived in Las Vegas, Brady has downplayed his role with the team, but it seems obvious at this point that he’s as close to the football side of operations as any minority owner in the league.
Brady wasn’t “hiding” in the coaches’ booth on Monday night, but it did look like he was trying to lower his 6’5 frame a little to dodge the cameras.
Among those who have been critical of Brady and the NFL this week, is former Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason.
Esiason believes the Raiders are getting a competitive advantage with Brady having access to opposing teams as an active and participating owner in the league.
“The fact that he is sitting in the Raiders’ coaches’ box, with the headset on and talking to Pete Carroll, talking to Spytek, their general manager, talking to their offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, is complete and utter B.S.,” Esiason said Tuesday on the Bommer & Gio podcast.
“Because the NFL is the ultimate competitive place and you’re allowing a guy to sit there, who’s part owner of a team, which is fine, and now he’s involved game plans. And now he’s going to be meeting with these coaches and talking about players? That is utter B.S. As far as I am concerned…”
“Because it tilts the balance of, I guess you can say competitiveness, because now he has intimate knowledge, obviously, of the team that he owns, the Raiders. he’s sitting in there listening and talking to GMs. He’s also talking to other coaches and staff, other players around the league… I know he’s going to try to be objective. But how can you be objective when you’re in this situation? And why are they allowing this?”
x: @raidersbeat
Lol, Schefter is such a stooge for the league and its institutions and owners. If be did have an issue with it, would he say so? Probably not unless the commissioner also had an issue with it.
As for Brady knowing what is professional and moral, I mean, the man has hardly been a saint on or off the field. He’s not history’s greatest monster or anything, but his personal and professional sins are all well known.
Yes, but what exactly would this huge advantage be for the Raiders? Do people really think that any information a journalist or sports commentator can glean isn’t already common knowledge in such a small and restricted league? The most surprising thing is the comments from insiders… it’s certainly unusual, but it’s pretty laughable to go from there to tearing one’s clothes.
Do I think a brilliant, devious mind could possibly glean some small advantage from dual roles, the way Belichick used to clean small advantages from focusing on, like, special teams gunners? Sure, a small one.
Do I think Brady is that brilliant mind? I do not.