Tom Brady may be a Las Vegas Raiders part-owner now, but that's not stopping him from being Tom Brady.
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During Sunday's Detroit Lions-Green Bay Packers game, Brady didn't hold back when Lions safety Brian Branch was ejected after a helmet-to-helmet hit.
"I don't love that call at all. Obviously it's a penalty but, to me, that has to be serious intent in a game like this," Brady said.
While he's technically restricted from criticizing officials due to his ownership stake, the NFL isn't stepping in with any fines here.
According to NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy, Brady would only face consequences if he were "egregiously critical" or if he questioned an official's integrity.
"The concern would be if Tom was egregiously critical of officiating or called into question the integrity of an official or the crew," McCarthy said. "That did not occur in this instance."
This, of course, gives Brady some room to do what he does best — offer honest, hard-hitting analysis. FOX knows Brady's opinions are what make him marketable, and the NFL is well aware that fans tune in to hear Brady's takes.
The league's decision to go easy here makes sense— he's too valuable as a voice in the game to box in completely. The restrictions that come with his ownership are more about ensuring he doesn't go overboard. But let's be real: the NFL and FOX both benefit from letting Brady be himself. As long as he stays professional and doesn't cross any major lines, expect him to keep calling it like he sees it. And for the fans? That's exactly what they want.
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