Tom Brady once again gets around rules regarding Fox job, Raiders ownership

Tom Brady seemed to violate rules regarding what he is and isn't allowed to say on the air while serving as Fox's lead NFL in-game analyst and as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders when he acknowledged he didn't "love" that Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Green Bay Packers receiver Bo Melton during Sunday's game that the Lions won 24-14. 

It appears Brady nevertheless won't land in any hot water over what apparently weren't seen as controversial statements. 

"Brady won’t be punished for his comments during Sunday’s Packers-Lions game," Alex Schiffer and Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported on Monday afternoon. "...The NFL had 'no issue' with his comments, according to the source. Brady won’t be fined."

Back in late August, ESPN's Seth Wickersham revealed that Brady was "prohibited from publicly criticizing game officials and other clubs" and could be "subject to fines or even a suspension if he [went] too far" while disagreeing with a call on the air. During Sunday's game between the Lions and Packers, Brady said that he felt that "there has to be serious intent in a game like this" for the officials to eject Branch.

Wickersham also shared that Brady "is not permitted to attend broadcast production meetings, either in person or virtually." However, the seven-time Super Bowl champion was allowed to interview Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes at the Chiefs' team hotel before a game in October. Additionally, other clubs have been willing to give Brady access he's not supposed to have due to rules that don't seem to mean all that much to him this fall. 

Some think Brady will try to convince Raiders principal owner Mark Davis to replace head coach Antonio Pierce with former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick in January. As recently as Monday, NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk linked the Raiders with former Tennessee Titans head coach and current Cleveland Browns consultant Mike Vrabel. 

Vrabel and Brady were teammates with the Patriots and are "close," per Florio. 

Perhaps other owners will care more about the so-called "Brady broadcast rules" next season if it's learned that he essentially picked the Raiders' new coach this coming winter.