As a co-host on NFL Network’s premier morning television program, Good Morning Football, Kyle Brandt’s contract with the league establishes that he’s not allowed to gamble. Brandt will be in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII for five nights. Still, he established during a recent conversation on the SI Media with Jimmy Traina podcast that due to his NFL contract and caution, he won’t be gambling in Vegas, including entering sportsbooks or playing cards.
“I’m afraid, honestly. It’s really specific in the contracts — I’m employed by the NFL — about gambling,” Brandt told Traina. “Like, I don’t even know if I could go and pull a slot machine. I probably can, but I don’t want to do it because everything’s on camera, and I’m not gonna get fired on this trip to Vegas for the NFL.”
Cautious of his NFL contract and wanting to avoid any trouble, Brandt continued to emphasize the strict rules against gambling for league employees. In doing so, he highlighted the risk of unintentionally entering a Vegas sportsbook and the potential for scandals involving gambling by media personnel during the Super Bowl. In essence, he theorized that a sports media controversy surrounding gambling is bound to happen at this year’s Super Bowl.
“And it’s not gonna be me,” Brandt quipped. “I promise you.”
Traina asked Brandt to predict the “over/under” for sports media scandals at the Super Bowl. He broadened the definition of “trouble” to encompass potential arrests, romantic misadventures and alcohol-fueled fisticuffs.
“There is no way everyone in sports media is coming out of that week unscathed,” said Traina.
“This is making me nervous,” added Brandt. “This is going to be Lord of the Flies, The Hunger Games; it’s just there’s too many vices. There’s too many sins. And…the one that we’re all supposed to enjoy legally there, is forbidden if you’re in sports media, certainly for the NFL, which is bleeping gambling. I think the over/under, whatever it is, it’s over; I hope it’s under, but listen, we’ve seen some people get in trouble when it’s someplace completely innocuous like Houston, Texas.
“So, if you go to Las Vegas — just the pictures alone, and every NFL player is gonna be there, and NFL Honors is gonna be there, I’m genuinely like, I don’t want to look at the dumb slot machines when I get off the jetway. I don’t want to play rock, paper, scissors with somebody — no wagering will be made my be.”
They opted not to do it on the podcast for obvious reasons, but Traina suggested that he’d put together a group chat with him, Brandt, and Peter Schrager, and they could do a $5 pool and each predict three sports media members that’ll get in trouble Super Bowl week.
“I’m not even — I’m going to say who would be the number one overall pick, and I’m not even gonna suggest it,” Brandt said. “I don’t know. I love everybody in sports media. I’m not gonna do it.”
“I have never placed a sports bet in my life,” Brant later added. “I just missed that token in the upbringing in America and dudes. I don’t know it. I don’t do it. I don’t play poker, and I don’t gamble on sports.”
