If NFL teams are concerned that Raiders minority owner and Fox Sports analyst Tom Brady might learn sensitive information about their team in production meetings, then they shouldn’t discuss anything sensitive.
That is the opinion of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who sees nothing to the growing controversy and apparent conflict of interest in allowing Brady to sit in on production meetings despite the fact that he is also a team owner.
“Teams have the right to say whatever they want to,” Goodell told CNBC. “They don’t have to disclose any information if they think it’s a conflict of interest. Teams don’t need to say anything. Sometimes they don’t say anything to somebody who’s not [a minority owner]. We get a lot of former players that are in [broadcast meetings] that are close to their former teams. I think our teams are pretty smart about saying, ‘I’m not sharing something with him.’”
Goodell only potentially sees a conflict if Brady were present at team facilities, but he stressed that this is strictly forbidden.
“Where’s the conflict?” Goodell said. “He’s not hanging around in the facilities. We don’t allow that.”
Goodell’s comments clarify to all concerned that there will be no further restrictions on access for Brady, and managing sensitive information is purely the responsibility of the teams, not the league.