NFL makes exception to rules for Tom Brady ahead of Fox Super Bowl LIX broadcast

Tom Brady will be allowed to take part in Super Bowl LIX production meetings leading up to Sunday’s game, Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt told reporters on Tuesday. Brady, an analyst for Fox Sports and minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, was not allowed to attend broadcast production meetings in person or virtually all season due to NFL rules.

Brady can meet with the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles but can’t attend the team’s practices. His Fox Sports teammates — play-by-play caller Kevin Burkhardt and sideline reporters Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi — will be allowed to watch practice.

According to The Athletic, when the “Brady Rules” were implemented, Hunt was one of the team owners instrumental in wanting the restrictions put in place because he didn’t want the Raiders to gain any advantages.

“When (Brady) was approved as an owner of the Raiders, there were a lot of discussions internally (among owners) and that ended up being the recommendation of the league office, that it didn’t make sense to have him in the production meetings,” Hunt said. “That’s where that rule came from. Since he’s doing the game this week, we have no issue with him being in our production meetings. He’ll have the access that any broadcaster would have.”

More on Tom Brady and his Super Bowl LIX coverage

During the 2024 season, Brady could not criticize officials and not be in another team’s facility, along with not attending practices and production meetings. In November, the Sports Business Journal reported the NFL could expand its conflict of interest rules related to Brady after he interviewed Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes. The outlet said the NFL’s finance committee would take a closer look at these interviews so Brady doesn’t receive extra information as a Raiders owner.

During his Super Bowl press conference, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about Tom Brady working as a broadcaster and team owner. “I think that Tom has been incredibly cooperative,” Goodell said. “He calls frequently about it and says, ‘Am I doing OK?’ And I think he’s serious about making sure that he separates these two and he doesn’t put the league or anyone in the position of conflict.”

Fox Sports announced in May 2022 that Brady would join the network as the lead color commentator. He reportedly signed a 10-year, $375 million contract, making him the highest-paid sports commentator in history. The following year, Brady and his business partner, Knighthead Capital Management co-founder Tom Wagner agreed to buy 10 percent of the Raiders. NFL owners approved the sale in October 2024 with Brady and Wagner owning five percent each.