Bucs Gameday

NFL makes big ruling on Tom Brady before the season and it could cause drama

NFL teams may not appreciate this new ruling involving former Bucs QB Tom Brady.
Collin Haalboom|
Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Announcer Tom Brady looks on before an NFC wild card game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Announcer Tom Brady looks on before an NFC wild card game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Despite officially retiring from the NFL following the 2022 season, former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has certainly kept himself busy.

Very busy.

Since retiring from the NFL for good, not only has Brady stepped into the world of sports broadcasting by becoming FOX Sports top NFL analyst alongside Kevin Brukhart, but he also managed to transition into NFL ownership at the same time by becoming a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.

READ MORE: What Saints are getting from Buccaneers wide receiver Trey Palmer

Understandably, many feathers were ruffled when NFL teams and their owners came to the realization that Brady ultimately be given access to players and coaches for his role with FOX while simultaneously operating as a partial owner of one NFL team.

Brady's juxtaposition created the conflict of interest — at least in the minds of other NFL owners.

The ' Brady Rule'

Tom Brady
Jan 5, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Fox Sports color commentator Tom Brady talks with Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM Jason Licht before the start of the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

So how did the NFL respond? They created a 'Brady rule' which ultimately restricted him from attending production meetings with players and coaches during the week, while the rest of his broadcast team at FOX would still be given that access.

Well, according to a recent report, the 'Brady rule' will no longer be in effect for 2025 as Tom Brady, despite his role as an NFL owner, will be given access to players and teams for FOX production meetings throughout the NFL season.

Even in retirement, Tom Brady keeps on winning

Tom Brad
May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Tom Brady in attendance during the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It's a little surprising to see the NFL backpedal on a rule they put in place so recently with the purpose of ensuring a level playing field is established for all NFL teams. It's tough to argue the fact that providing a NFL owner (whether minority or otherwise) with special access to other teams and players has the potential to result in tampering.

Considering the owner in question (Brady) also happens to be the most accomplished football player in the history of the sport, who garners immense respect from NFL players, his access to those players only magnifies that concern.

There's a strong possibility that other NFL owners will not appreciate this ruling as it relates to Brady and his access to other teams as an NFL owner. But just like he did throughout the course of his NFL career, it appears as though Tom Brady is coming out on top yet again.

READ MORE: Buccaneers starter could potentially miss Week 1 with new injury

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2025 season.

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.

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