In a recent development, it has been announced that Tom Brady, the former quarterback of the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is one step closer to NFL ownership. Mark Davis, the owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, revealed that he has reached an agreement with Brady for the latter to acquire a minority stake in the NFL franchise. The deal has been submitted to the NFL for approval by the league owners.
While the terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, it will require the approval of at least 23 out of the remaining 31 NFL owners. Typically, any ownership deal necessitates the support of three-fourths of the league’s franchises.
Brady’s involvement as a minority owner seems to indicate that his playing career has concluded, leaving no room for a potential comeback. If the 45-year-old were to consider returning from retirement, he would require approval from three-fourths of the NFL franchises to join the Raiders. In February, Brady stated that his retirement announcement was final. It’s worth noting that his former Patriots backup, Jimmy Garoppolo, joined the Raiders this offseason.
Will Brady still call games for Fox?
Interestingly, Brady’s ownership stake would not hinder his ability to work as a game analyst for Fox. He has a lucrative 10-year, $375 million contract to call games for the network, scheduled to begin in 2023. Brady announced that he would not start calling games until the 2024 season, as he aims to dedicate time to enhance his skills in this new role. Although the NFL prohibits employees with influential positions at media outlets from holding ownership stakes, this policy would not apply to Brady’s position as an on-air talent. ESPN reports that Fox has approved Brady’s desire to become a minority owner despite potential conflicts of interest arising from his game commentary involving the Raiders.
In summary, Tom Brady is on the verge of becoming a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, pending approval from the NFL. While this move likely signals the end of his playing career, it does not affect his plans to work as a game analyst for Fox in the future.
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