Boomer & Gio: Tom Brady broadcasting games is ‘insanity’ and ‘100% conflict of interest’

The conversation around Tom Brady and whether or not his dual roles as an NFL broadcaster for Fox and Las Vegas Raiders minority owner create a conflict of interest reached a fever pitch this past weekend.

Brady called Saturday’s Lions-Commanders game while also working to get Detroit OC Ben Johnson to interview for the Raiders’ head coaching opening. He and broadcasting partner Kevin Burkhardt acknowledged the situation during the call but Brady went out of his way not to mention Johnson by name.

Before the game, some media folks defended Brady, while others said the situation was untenable. A Fox Sports executive even said that the discussion was “ridiculous,” while Brady’s agent Don Yee confirmed he would return to the booth next season.

While Brady’s conflict likely didn’t have a noticeable impact on many Fox viewers, it was clear to those paying attention that it did impact what the former quarterback said, and didn’t say, in certain situations. And you can count WFAN hosts Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti among those who still think this situation doesn’t pass the smell test.

“They really are sticking to this, that Tom Brady’s gonna continue broadcasting, which to me, is insanity…” – Gregg Giannotti

“Yeah, it’s 100% a conflict of interest…” – Boomer Esiason pic.twitter.com/xqSclhROEB

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 20, 2025

“They really are sticking to this, that Tom Brady’s gonna continue broadcasting, which to me, is insanity if he is pulling the strings and being a major player in the decision-making of an NFL organization,” Giannoti said on Monday’s Boomer & Gio. “And then he’s calling games on top of it? It’s weird!”

“Yeah, it’s 100% a conflict of interest, but that $370 million that Fox gave Tom Brady to do this 10-year deal probably was a lot of the money that went into the Raiders, I would think,” Esiason said. “He’s made so much money in his career, and he’s obviously one of the most popular players in the history, and no matter where he goes, and if he decides to give a speaking engagement, I’m sure it’s probably for at least a half a million to a million dollars.

“And he’s pretty good when he goes into those situations and he’s very sought after. But, I agree with you. It’s a conflict of interest.

“I don’t know what the commissioner is doing. I guess the commissioner is really not gonna get involved in this. Because, it is Tom Brady.”

Giannotti noted that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell does have a history of going after Brady when he was wrapped up in scandals as a player, but Esasion seems convinced that owner Tom Brady is a different animal.

Esiason did say that he respects Brady for stepping into a broadcasting booth and allowing himself to be open to all kinds of criticism, comparing it to the ManningCast where it’s more of a niche experience that people choose to watch.

“[The Mannings have] built in the padding for themselves – there’s not going to be a lot of criticism, if any criticism whatsoever thrown at them because you can only watch it if you want to watch it,” Esiason said. “But yet Tom Brady has chosen the path of Troy Aikman, Cris Collinsworth, all the lead announcers to go from the field into the booth and suffer the slings and arrows of the criticism that comes along with that.”

Giannotti admitted that he ultimately tends to tune announcers out unless it’s a moment that calls for specific analysis.

“I don’t really think about it – I don’t know,” Giannotti said. “I’m in sort of in my own world watching the game, paying attention and processing it myself, and I guess that’s a compliment to the broadcasters because the only time I really get annoyed with a broadcast is if I feel like they’re getting in the way of me consuming the game. And that’s the way I felt about Booger McFarland when he did it.”