The Chicago Bears’ Week 3 game against the Dallas Cowboys will be aired on FOX by their top broadcast duo of Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady.
As you may or may not know, Tom Brady is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders – who also happen to be the Bears’ Week 4 opponent.
[Spice Adams, Peanut Tillman provide message for Bears after tough loss]
During Monday Night Football’s Raiders-Chargers game on ESPN, the broadcast panned to Brady with a headset on and reported that Las Vegas offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and the seven-time Super Bowl Champion go over offensive game plans 2-3 times per week.
Tom Brady was spotted in the Raiders coaching booth tonight against the Chargers 👀
Brady and OC Chip Kelly go over the offensive game plan 2-3 times per week 🧠 pic.twitter.com/APiyNh4NWW
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 16, 2025
Social media took that report and ran with it, asking if it was fair for Brady to be allowed to interview players and coaches to prepare for games as a FOX analyst, while also working with members of the Raiders’ coaching staff to help the team he partially owns win games.
Tom Brady meets with Chip Kelly 2-3 times a week to go over film and go through the game plan.
And every weekend Brady is calling a game for Fox, gathering as much information as possible from players and coaches from both teams to be at his best in the broadcast booth. Got it.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) September 16, 2025
The NFL released a statement on Tuesday regarding Brady’s dual role with the Raiders and FOX, which was obtained by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero.
“There are no policies that prohibit an owner from sitting in the coaches’ booth or wearing a headset during a game. Brady was sitting in the booth in his capacity as a limited partner. All personnel sitting in the booth must abide by policies that prohibit the use of electronic devices other than league-issued equipment such as a Microsoft Surface Tablet for the Sideline Viewing System.”
[Bears mailbag: Colston Loveland’s target share, Dennis Allen’s defense]
Brady’s dual role — and the potential conflict of interest — was a hot button topic around the NFL media world on Tuesday, especially given the Bears connection.
There is no clear answer as to how the Bears should handle this upcoming week — should they divulge the same level of information to Brady they normally provide broadcasters during production meetings? What if he turns around and shares that with the Raiders for the following week? Is that a competitive advantage?
.@ProFootballTalk went off on Tom Brady and the NFL for the conflict of interest in Brady being a Raiders minority owner and Fox’s lead analyst.
Florio implores the Bears to stand up to Brady by refusing to talk to him this week.
Brady will be on the Bears-Cowboys call Sunday. pic.twitter.com/NLwt3I2KWW
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) September 16, 2025
“If you’re the Bears and Tom Brady comes in, knowing you play the Raiders the following week, then how forthcoming are you?”
– DP on Tom Brady being spotted with a headset on in the #Raiders coaching booth last night. pic.twitter.com/vKJZUHswhu
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) September 16, 2025
Brady agreed to join Fox Sports in May 2022 in a deal that would pay him $375 million over 10 years. This deal came months after Brady retired and then later announced his return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After finishing the 2022 season, Brady officially retired. He didn’t make his NFL on FOX debut until Week 1 in 2024.
In May 2023, the soon-to-be first ballot Hall of Famer became a minority owner of the Raiders.
During his first season as a broadcaster, Brady was not permitted to attend in-person or online broadcast production meetings and did not have access to team facilities, per the NFL. This season, Brady is allowed to attend production meetings, leaving the discretion up to individual teams for how much information is given.
Brady was on the call for the Washington Commanders against the New York Giants game in Week 1, two teams Las Vegas will also face this season.