Those who have followed the NFL this season will remember that towards the beginning of the season Tom Brady was under fire for being in the Raiders’ coaching booth with a headset on despite engaging in Fox Sports production meetings where he gained insight other people around the league didn’t yet have.[1]
As that conflict-of-interest hot topic and since come and gone, it appears that for the Super Bowl, Brady is taking a safer route. With the Patriots appearing in the big show this Sunday, it seems only natural that Brady, the legendary Patriots quarterback who won six Super Bowls with the team, would be pulling strongly for his former team.[2] However, at least to the public eye, the opposite seems to be true. Earlier this week, on his “Let’s Go” podcast, Brady shockingly said that he is not rooting for either team, and instead he is simply hoping for a good match-up. In his own words, Brady answered, “I don’t have a dog in the fight in this one. May the best team win.”[3]
While many were startled by Brady’s statement (with some even arguing that Brady doesn’t want to see the Patriots win without him), there may be regulatory and compliance considerations that governed Brady’s neutrality.[4]
It is critical that the Fox network can maintain the image of credibility for its commentators. If Brady, one of the network’s focal-point commentators, was openly rooting for a team that he used to play for, it could signal to viewers that Brady operates with a bias for at least one team, which could raise concerns among viewers.[5] These concerns could translate to decreased ratings, which would significantly harm both the network and the league.
In addition to Brady’s role as a commentator, Brady also owns a part stake in the Las Vegas Raiders.[6] For obvious reasons, if Brady were to openly root for a team while simultaneously owning part of another team, concerns about the legitimacy of competition would quickly arise.[7]
In light of Brady’s circumstances, it seems clear that for this go-around, Brady is playing it safe and not looking to draw any heat onto himself, the league, or Fox.
[1] Ryan McFadden, Tom Brady shown in Raider’s booth wearing headset during MNF, ESPN (September 15, 2025, 11:24 PM ET).
[2] Tom Brady Super Bowl Record, Stat Muse (February 5, 2026).
[3] Grant Gordon, Tom Brady not pulling for Patriots in Super Bowl LX: ‘I don’t have a dog in the fight’, NFL (February 3, 2026).
[4] Aaliyan Mohammed, Patriots Legend Calls Out Tom Brady After Super Bowl Comment, NESN (February 4, 2026).
[5] Tom Brady gets more access in role as Fox analyst, ESPN (August 27, 2025).
[6] Tom Tapp, Tom Brady Gets Approval to Buy Stake In Las Vegas Raiders, But Restrictions On His Broadcast Role At Fox Apply, Deadline (October 15, 2024).
[7] Kerrie Jacobs-Bryant, Tom Brady fires back at critics after NFL overturns controversial ‘rules’ decision, Talk Sport (September 1, 2025).
Blake Breidenstein is a third year law student at the University at Buffalo School of Law who has spent much of his law school career studying how the law intertwines with the sports and entertainment industry. Throughout his time in law school, Breidenstein has supported the university's compliance office, working alongside a supervising attorney and staff in ensuring compliance with the ever-changing rules governing collegiate athletics. As a lifelong baseball player, Blake focuses much of his writing on the MLB, although his Buffalo roots occasionally turn his focus towards the Bills and Sabres.
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