Tom Brady has remained busy since retiring from the NFL. Brady serves as an analyst for FOX and is also in the Las Vegas Raiders ownership group as a minority owner. However, many feel that these roles result in a severe conflict of interest that should disqualify him from being permitted to serve in both capacities concurrently.
Now, one former Raiders head coach is saying that people would be foolish to think Brady is doing anything other than sharing what he’s learning from his analyst job with the Raiders.
“This is unprecedented, what we’re seeing,” Antonio Pierce said in a Sirius XM radio appearance, according to Pro Football Talk. “I think I would be uncomfortable if it was the other way around, to be honest with you. Because you’re not dealing with just a normal person. Tom Brady is the elite of the elite, one of the greatest quarterbacks, one of the greatest players in the game, played against him obviously, student of the game.
“It’s not hard for him to watch a few things on a Friday practice or hear things in a production meeting and be like, ‘Hmm,’ and have tidbits. And you’d be foolish enough to think that he’s not gonna share that with the Raiders because we had those conversations about certain things.”
“I think everybody’s gonna give you the political answer and say, ‘Oh, it’s no big deal,’” Pierce continued. “I’m calling BS on that because if me and you was to call the game, they’ll be secretive with us. Now you got a guy who’s a minority owner, a great player, you know he understands the game, you know he sees the game. He has obviously an interest in the Raiders. So I just think it’s unprecedented.
“We haven’t seen it. Again, I don’t want to talk above my means. I don’t know what the NFL has set for Tom Brady and his rules, but I know he was a great asset for us with the Raiders when I was there. And I think he’ll still be a great asset as he’s going forward and I think this does help him out, and the Raiders.”
Pierce believes he might have done a better job if he had Brady as involved as he is now when he was the head coach.
“He was at training camp. He’s been around, he was at OTAs, he was in the draft meetings. He’s been around a lot more than he was last year with me. So our conversations were more about how we fix the Raiders. I think this year, you know, he built that team. I mean, those are a lot of his calls, right? I think even starting with [firing] me, you know, I think with me that was one of his calls. And again, Pete Carroll and Geno [Smith], like he’s heavily involved within the organization. So maybe last year that would have helped me out. But I didn’t have that from Tom last year.”
Fans reacted to Pierce’s words on social media.
“Says the coach who got let go and still harbors ill will about it. Looks like pierce really leveraged Brady’s info to help win games. Pierce…you were a (bad) head coach, just slip away quietly!” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“Can’t say I wouldn’t be salty if my favorite team growing up cut me off the knees with my dream job. Let my key RB leave for Green Bay & also the GM sabotage. It is what it is,” one fan added.
“Was Brady purposely sharing the wrong info to get him fired? Pierce absolutely stinks out loud,” someone else added.
It’ll be interesting to see if the league steps in and makes Pierce relinquish one of his roles.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.