Heading into the Detroit Lions' NFL divisional round playoff game against the Washington Commanders, FO broadcaster Tom Brady was put under the microscope.
The former New England Patriots quarterback is now a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. In addition to his new color commentary duties for Fox Sports, which will air Super Bowl LIX next month, Brady has reportedly been heavily involved in the Raiders' ongoing coaching search.
One of the leading candidates for the head coaching job in Las Vegas is Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. While Brady prepared to call the Lions-Commanders game this week, Fox publicly downplayed the potential conflict of interest for the first time.
Brady's decision to avoid saying two specific words on air spoke volumes about the sticky situation he is in.
Fox broadcaster Tom Brady.
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During the entire broadcast of Washington's 45-31 upset win in Detroit, Brady never referred to Johnson by name.
The decision did not save Brady from receiving backlash for what he said during the broadcast when asked about Johnson's interview with the Raiders.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion was given another direct opportunity to address the situation by Fox play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt, who asked him about Johnson's future during a mid-game, on-camera segment. Brady appeared to tense up and gave a vague answer without using the coordinator's name.
When Brady was approved as an NFL owner, the league created what some call the "Brady Rules" to limit potential conflicts of interest that could arise from criticizing NFL teams and officials on air, per Front Office Sports.
He is also subject to the league's gambling and tampering policies. The latter may have informed his call to avoid Johnson's name at all costs, even when his creative play calls left Brady gobsmacked.
It's unclear how the Raiders' coaching search will play out, but Brady's unmistakable decision on Saturday showed that he is keenly aware of the muddy waters he exists in as an owner and broadcaster.
