Adam Schefter: NFL restrictions on Tom Brady were ‘overstated’

If NFL on Fox analyst and Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady wants to criticize a head coach on a broadcast, Adam Schefter is all for it.

Brady’s first season as an NFL analyst has been largely uninspiring, but his minority stake in the Raiders continues to fuel a lot of discussion about the former quarterback’s ability to be a broadcaster. Prior to the start of the season, the NFL announced Brady will not be able to attend production meetings and would be restricted from criticizing the officials or other teams because of his interest in the Raiders.

Despite the restrictions, Brady was very critical of Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott’s clock management late against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday evening. Amazingly, Brady survived the broadcast after projecting his criticism of McDermott. But Monday afternoon, Pat McAfee asked whether Brady might get a talking to, and Schefter completely scoffed at the notion.

“Tom Brady is just doing his job and he’s a professional..

If he wants to criticize what a coach is doing in a game that’s his choice” ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive https://t.co/Psq09bHOJH pic.twitter.com/6LV8bbwFLk

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 9, 2024

“No. First of all, that’s his job,” Schefter said definitively. “Again, I think some of those rules are a little bit overstated. I think there were some people that were a little sensitive about that. A couple of owners in particular, a little sensitive about having a minority Raiders owner in their building. I mean, what are we talking about here? Tom Brady is professional enough to understand exactly what he’s doing. He’s not gonna go to the practice and get on the phone and call Antonio Pierce and say, ‘You’re not gonna believe what they’re doing, they’re gonna try to get the ball to Isiah Pacheco! It’s crazy!’

“He’s not doing that. Tom Brady’s a pro and I think there were some people that were really nervous about it, but, to me that’s ridiculous. Tom’s gonna do his job. And if he wants to criticize a coach in the game for making a call, that’s his right. That’s what he should be doing. That’s why Fox is paying him the money it is, right?”

Credit Schefter for being consistent on this issue. While many were concerned about Brady’s ability to call a game for Fox after the NFL announced the restrictions in August, Schefter has repeatedly downplayed the limitations and their potential impact on a broadcaster. Maybe Schefter is right, but the NFL also could have done a better job of clarifying what “prohibited from publicly criticizing game officials and other team” means. Because now that we’ve witnessed it on several occasions, it seems like the NFL is okay with him publicly criticizing game officials and other teams.

The next time Brady says something critical of any team, player or coach not related to the Raiders, we can all just take a deep breath and realize he’s going to be okay. Roger Goodell won’t be barging into the Fox broadcast booth to pull Brady off-air.

[The Pat McAfee Show]