Former GM makes big claim about Tom Brady's relationships with Raiders, Fox

It's now clear that Las Vegas Raiders principal owner Mark Davis wanted to have current Fox lead NFL in-game analyst Tom Brady as a minority owner of the franchise in part so that Brady could assist Davis regarding personnel decisions such as the search for a long-term starting quarterback. 

Well-known analyst and former Raiders general manager Mike Mayock knows plenty about working as a media personality and as an executive for a club. During Wednesday's edition of "The Zach Gelb Show," Mayock suggested Brady will eventually have to choose between working alongside Davis and calling games for Fox. 

"You know, there’s already some fine lines there," Mayock said about Brady's unique situation, as shared by Sam Neumann of Awful Announcing. "…And typically, minority owners don’t have a voice in the building. This is a different guy now, and so, I think some of the mandates the NFL put on him, as far as his broadcasting career, were more predicated on him being a silent, minority partner. So, the more involved he gets in daily operations, the less likely that the networks and the other teams are going to want him involved in television."

Brady seemingly has already found ways to get around the strict guidelines he must follow while working for Fox as a minority owner of one franchise. The 2-6 Raiders have already taken steps to essentially punt on the remainder of the 2024 season, so it's understandable that clubs such as the Kansas City Chiefs don't care if Brady wants to speak to star talents like quarterback Patrick Mahomes. 

However, the situation could change if Brady either intentionally or unintentionally begins "recruiting" current or/and future NFL players to join the Raiders. 

"I think using him as a resource is smart," Mayock added about Brady. "I think having him pick your guys is a different conversation. ...Is he going to be a broadcaster, or is he going to be an NFL executive? Because the more he has to say, the more they’re going to demand he make a decision."

Long before the NFL officially approved the Brady-Raiders marriage, media insiders expressed doubts about the seven-time Super Bowl champion completing his deal with Fox reportedly worth $375M over 10 years. Assuming Brady has already made the decision referenced by Mayock, it sounds like other league owners could push TB12 out of the Fox booth by September 2025.