Tom Brady is such a figure who can’t escape the spotlight even when he’s not playing. The seven-time Super Bowl champ found himself at the center of a firestorm last month when ESPN cameras caught him in the Raiders’ coaching booth wearing a headset during their MNF loss to the Chargers.
The visual got people talking immediately, like every week. Brady owns 5% of the Raiders while pulling down $375 million over 10 years as Fox’s lead analyst. The dual role raised eyebrows about potential conflicts of interest. Now Joe Buck’s breaking his silence on what really went down behind the scenes.
Joe Buck Breaks Silence on Why Raiders Were Fuming After ESPN Showed Tom Brady in the Booth
Buck revealed on “The Pivot Podcast” that the Raiders weren’t happy about the cameras exposing Brady’s presence in the booth. The legendary play-by-play man didn’t hold back his thoughts on the controversy.
“I think it was more perception of it, than reality … It was the visual,” Buck said. “The last person I’m telling what to do is Tom Brady. But yeah, I thought the visibility — and I know they weren’t happy that that got out, but he’s in a booth with a headset on.”
Buck explained the obvious problem with trying to stay under the radar. “We’re all at least smart enough to know that there are cameras everywhere, and they’re gonna find you. Cameras found him and then it became a big thing and then just like everything else in the world, it goes away five seconds later and everybody moves on.”
The Fox broadcaster called Brady’s headset appearance “a little too public”. But he thinks the production meeting concerns are overblown.
“The whole inside information, I don’t know what he’s going to get that’s going to help him as an executive for the Raiders,” Buck noted. “If other owners don’t like it, then I guess that’s their prerogative too.”
The NFL cleared Brady, stating there are no policies prohibiting owners from sitting in coaches’ booths or wearing headsets during games. Raiders coach Pete Carroll confirmed Brady “is not planning games with us” and their conversations are “really random.”
Still, one team executive called Brady’s booth presence “egregious,” especially with concerns about the access he gets to other teams’ information through his broadcasting role.
The timing seemed too perfect to raise more questions. Carroll and GM John Spytek consulted with Brady on roster decisions during the offseason, with Spytek calling Brady’s voice “invaluable.” First-year offensive coordinator Chip Kelly told ESPN he speaks with Brady two to three times per week, going through film and game plans.
Buck’s right about one thing that the controversy faded fast. But it exposed Brady’s awkward position in juggling ownership and broadcasting duties.
