Tom Brady Adrian Peterson e1737225934183 Las Vegas RaidersGetty Images

A conflict of interest occurs when an individual’s personal interests – family, friendships, financial or social factors – could compromise his or her judgment, decisions, or actions in the workplace. Does Tom Brady’s pursuit of Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson compromise his ability to analyze the Commanders-Lions for 40 million viewers on Fox? The network said absolutely not.

“To me, the questioning of someone’s integrity to say there is a conflict of interest is ridiculous and that’s a shame,” Fox Sports president of programming and production told The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand on Friday.

Former linebacker A.J. Hawk agreed. The co-host of the Pat McAfee Show said Friday he has no issues with Brady serving as both a limited partner of the Raiders and the lead color commentator for Fox’s NFL broadcasts.

“I don’t get caught up, I guess, in the drama of, ‘Is he going to get inside information when he’s broadcasting or when he’s talking to people?’” Hawk said. “Okay, good luck. He’s going to be fine. I think it’s way overblown when they think the advantage that Tom could possibly gain from being in the booth or talking to these guys.”

Any advantage Brady gains wouldn’t come from production meetings with head coaches, coordinators and key players prior to games – or from watching practices at team facilities, something network talent routinely do. The NFL restricted him from those activities when he joined the Raiders’ ownership group. Even before that, during his playing career, Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract to serve in the role for Fox. Brady’s agent Don Yee said this week he expects Brady to fulfill his Fox contract over the next nine seasons. Brady also will call Super Bowl LIX for Fox on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.

WFAN host Mike Francesca said this week he doesn’t see how Brady can continue to hold both roles, ownership and analyst.

“I think his first year in the booth will be his last year in the booth,” Francesca said. “The restrictions Tom is under, and I don’t know how this is going to work for him at the Super Bowl this year, because I don’t know how he can do his job at the Super Bowl adequately when he cannot be at the other teams’ practices. He cannot meet with any personnel from the other team, coaches or players.”

But that’s nothing new for Brady. He’s called games for 19 straight weeks under those restrictions and no one questions his work ethic. Still, Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk says Fox has an obligation to tell those who don’t know that Brady has interviewed not just Johnson but also Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for the vacant Las Vegas head-coach role.

“The audience needs to know about the Raiders’ interest in Johnson and Glenn so that Brady’s commentary regarding the performance of the Detroit offense and defense can be evaluated through that lens,” Florio wrote. “If/when he excessively praises Johnson and/or Glenn — or if/when Brady fails to adequately criticize them — the audience can factor his potential interest in hiring either of them while absorbing his words.”

Regardless of whether that happens Saturday, at next week’s NFC Championship Game or Super Bowl LIX, most agree Brady will conduct himself in a professional manner.

“Whether there is a conflict of interest or not, I don’t see how this will have any impact on Brady’s call of the game,” wrote Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina. “In fact, I don’t think Brady’s call of the game will be different in any way, shape or form because he wants to hire Johnson.”

And who Johnson wants to hire him means more to most fans than Brady’s ability to effectively call a game while pursuing his head coach.

For more information on the Raiders, NFL broadcast partners, or the NFL hiring cycle, visit the Las Vegas team page, broadcast page and Coach/GM Carousel page at ProFootballPost.com.


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By Zak Gilbert

Since his freshman year at the University of Colorado, Zak Gilbert has worked 30 years in sports, including 18 NFL seasons. He's spent time with four NFL teams, serving as head of communications for both the Raiders and Browns. A veteran of nine Super Bowls, he most recently worked six seasons in the NFL's New York league office.

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