Joe Buck: Raiders ‘weren’t happy’ ESPN showed Tom Brady in their coaches’ box

If the Las Vegas Raiders don’t want anyone to see Tom Brady in their coaches’ box, maybe don’t put him in the coaches’ box.

Earlier this season, Brady agitated conflict of interest concerns about his dual roles as a broadcaster and minority owner when he called a game for Fox on Sunday and was in the coaches’ box with a headset on for the Raiders during Monday Night Football. ESPN cameras saw Brady and put him on the screen with sideline reporter Peter Schrager adding that he meets regularly with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to discuss the week’s game plan. And according to Joe Buck, the Raiders weren’t too happy about that.

Buck joined Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor on The Pivot podcast this week. During the interview, he was asked about Brady’s dual roles as a broadcaster for Fox and minority owner for the Las Vegas Raiders representing a potential conflict of interest. And while Buck might not have an issue with Brady being a broadcaster and minority owner, he did understand the concerns about seeing the game analyst wearing a headset for the Raiders.

“That seemed a little too public to me,” Buck admitted. “The headset with the Raiders. But I think the production meeting stuff is much ado about nothing.”

“The last person I’m telling what to do is Tom Brady,” Buck continued. “But yeah, I thought the visibility – and I know they weren’t happy that that got out, but he’s in a booth with a headset on. I mean, we’re all at least smart enough to know there are cameras everywhere. And they’re gonna find you. Cameras found him and then it became a big thing and then just like everything else in the world, it goes away five seconds later.”

And apparently the Raiders just wanted it to go away during the Monday Night Football broadcast. Imagine if ESPN saw Brady in the coaches’ box and chose to ignore it? Yet, much like last season, concerns about Brady’s dual roles being a conflict of interest have already faded. But it only goes away until Brady does something to agitate those conflict of interest concerns again, like showing up in a coaches’ box with a headset on.

The next time there might be any real concerns about Brady being a broadcaster and minority owner will come when the Raiders are good. As long as the Raiders are losing, other teams probably won’t care much about the potential conflict of interest. But if the Raiders get back to being a contender, those concerns will start getting loud again.