Tom Brady was quizzed on his search for a new Las Vegas Raiders head coach in an awkward moment live on Fox – amid calls for him to be fired by the network due to a conflict of interest.
Brady, who only began his 10-year, $375million Fox contract this season, was at the center of controversy heading into the Detroit Lions’ playoff against the Washington Commanders on Saturday night.
With the game being shown on Fox, many questioned how the legendary quarterback would be to allowed commentate on it given he recently held an interview with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for the vacant head-coaching job in Las Vegas.
Brady has come under fire for juggling his ownership role with broadcasting since he acquired a minority Raiders stake in October, and Saturday’s Divisional playoff in Detroit has placed him under even more scrutiny.
Earlier this week radio host Dan Patrick accused the NFL of ‘bending over backwards’ to help him while adding: ‘How many times do you listen to a game where you’re going to be reading into, maybe an ulterior motive?’
Following the outrage over his perceived conflict of interest, the seven-time Super Bowl winner was asked by Fox colleague Kevin Burkhardt live on air about carrying out interviews for the Raiders vacancy.
Tom Brady awkwardly addressed his Fox conflict of interest live on air Saturday night
‘So for those who may not know… Tom, you picked up a little side-hustle a couple of months ago, just buying a minority share of the Raiders. So you know, just normal type stuff,’ Burkhardt said.
After laughing awkwardly, Brady said about interviewing head coaches: ‘It’s just been a great learning experience. What you realize is the league’s full of great potential, and what I believe is, the resumes, the accolades… they’re all earned by what people do on the field.
‘You earn your opportunities, and you do your performance, and let that all do the talking. Just as it should be, and as I did when I was a player.’
Burkhardt then added: ‘You’re stuck with me here at Fox for the next 10 years, whether you like it or not.’
‘Happily,’ Brady replied before joking, ‘I’d break some kneecaps for you KB. Whatever you need me to do baby.’
Brady is reportedly playing a big part in the search for Antonio Pierce’s replacement after the Raiders head coach was fired last week.
The NFL legend and his fellow Las Vegas chiefs have interviewed or are scheduled to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and ex-New York Jets coach Robert Saleh as well as Johnson.
He is said to be favoring Johnson with the retired signal caller ‘enamored’ by him, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport.
Brady’s TV role has been questioned amid his new position as a minority Raiders owner
Raiders owner Mark Davis recently revealed that Brady will have a ‘huge voice’ in the franchise’s future but former MLB executive Davis Samson claimed that the retired NFL star can’t be both.
‘Tom Brady is running that team right now – the NFL knows it and Fox knows it and something has got to give. So enjoy Tom in the booth because you’re not going to see him there next year,’ Samson told the Dan Le Batard Show.
‘He will be in the Raiders front office, he will not return as an analyst for Fox – you cannot be this involved in the operation of a team and be the No 1 analyst.
‘It’s an absolute insult to analysts what he’s doing. And it’s an insult to team president what he’s doing.
‘You end up doing both of them in a mediocre way… and I promise you he will choose the Raiders.’
