With rare assist from Bills, former rival Tom Brady gets broadcasting 'win'

In a move initially pushed by the Buffalo Bills, FOX analyst Tom Brady will get more access to teams this season.

Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott talks with Tom Brady before a game in 2024 | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Call it a rare victory for Tom Brady and the Buffalo Bills.

During his rookie season as a TV analyst on FOX, the NFL placed restrictions on Brady's access to teams. Since he is co-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, the Hall-of-Fame quarterback was prohibited from attending practices, entering facilities and even participating in pre-game production meetings with coaches and players from the teams involved in the game he was broadcasting each week.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady steps into a throw against the Bills. | Jamie Germano / USA TODAY NETWORK

In a new story in The Athletic, the "Brady Boundaries" have been lifted. Which apparently is fine with the Bills, who - according to Pro Football Talk - were willing to relax the restrictions for Brady before last season's Week 8 game against the Seattle Seahawks. At the time the NFL declined Buffalo's offer and kept them in place. But this season he's been granted more freedom.

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Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, an AFC West rival of Brady’s Raiders, had previously pushed for the NFL to restrict Brady’s access to the teams, fearing that it could give Brady too much information and potentially provide the rival Raiders a competitive advantage.

The restrictions were lifted before FOX's telecast of Super Bowl LIX last season, and the guidelines kept in place for the 2025 regular season.

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Brady and play-by-play partner Kevin Burkhardt will begin their season Sept. 7 by calling the New York Giants-Washington Commanders game.

Fox Sports announcer Kevin Burkhardt (left) with Tom Brady on the field before Super Bowl LIX | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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