Brian Schottenheimer weighs in on Tom Brady's conflict of interest before Sunday's broadcast

Should Tom Brady be allowed to get inside information on the Cowboys and Bears this week when the Raiders play both teams this season?

Aug 8, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Retired Hall of Fame New England Patriot player Tom Brady talks with Brian Hoyer during the first half of a game against the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

FOX broadcast A-teamer Tom Brady caught a lot of heat this week for what has been perceived as a major potential conflict of interest. Due to the former Patriots QB's minority ownership in the Las Vegas Raiders, some see his role with FOX, which requires him to pick up significant team information throughout the week, as a way for Brady to pass that info to the Raiders.

Well, this week Brady will provide color commentary for the 4:25 p.m. ET broadcast of the Dallas Cowboys at the Chicago Bears.

MORE: Dallas Cowboys vs Chicago Bears announcer assignment draws FOX A-Team

Both teams play the Raiders this season – the Bears in Week 4 and the Cowboys in Week 11.

Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman greets Fox Sports broadcaster Tom Brady prior to the game. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Bears head coach Ben Johnson told reporters on Wednesday that he doesn't plan to reveal any "trade secrets" to Brady, and admitted he's in "coach speak" mode with the media anyway.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer had a similar response. He doesn't anticipate it being any more of an issue than when a coach or player joins the team after being on an opponent's roster. It's just a part of the game.

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Sep 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

“Everybody has everybody’s playbook," Schottenheimer said. "Everybody knows somebody that knows somebody that’s been some place. I don’t have a problem with it. … I’ll talk football with anybody.”

As for the league, it doesn't sound like the NFL intends to step in to police Brady. Though he was in a booth wearing a headphone and mic set during the Raiders' Monday Night Football game, head coach Pete Carroll assured reporters the former Super Bowl champ is "not planning games with us."

Tom Brady in the #Raiders coaches booth wearing the headset #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/rvHNbsX8lK

— Vince Sapienza (@VinceSapienza) September 16, 2025

"There are no policies that prohibit an owner from sitting in the coaches' booth or wearing a headset during a game," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN. "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."

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