Are there any rules left to follow in the NFL? Over the past few years, the bending of rules that network broadcasters once followed can be compared to a scene in The Matrix. Hold the spoon and make it bend with your mind—because there is no spoon. That sums up what broadcasters like Tom Brady and now Troy Aikman are doing with their paid ties to NFL teams.
There used to be objectivity in sports broadcasts. Conflicts of interest never influenced how a team was discussed. No special access or insights that could make their way to the conflict itself by such a broadcaster. In the words of Walter Sobchak, “This is not ‘nam, there are rules.” At least, we thought there were.
Everything evolves. Fans and broadcasters now have more information than ever. But the question remains: do rules matter, or only after they’re broken? It’s a fine line for the NFL and a potentially costly one for broadcasters.
Make no mistake. What Tom Brady has done—and what Troy Aikman is about to embark on—is a conflict of interest. Both are paid analysts employed by FOX Sports and ESPN respectively while holding financial ties to the NFL teams they call games for. The point of having a former athlete in the booth is to provide an objective perspective backed by experience. These conflicts are continuing to blur that line.
Since Brady entered broadcasting, the game has changed. Early in the season, headlines focused not on his performance for FOX Sports but on him wearing a headset in the Las Vegas Raiders’ coaching booth. Calls for Brady to choose have continued: the highest-paying analyst job in network television or a front-row seat overseeing one of the NFL’s flagship teams.
He has done both—and likely will continue. Brady has yet to call a Raiders game for FOX Sports. Time will tell if he ever will.
Aikman’s situation is different. The ESPN Monday Night Football analyst is consulting with the Miami Dolphins on their current general manager search alongside fellow Hall of Famer Dan Marino, who serves as a special advisor to Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.
Could this simply be a team seeking an informed opinion on candidates? Possibly. I’m not naive to being this doesn’t happen behind the scenes all the time. But Aikman’s role with Miami is public, raising questions about why he accepted it in the first place.
The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback is a top-tier analyst, on par with the best—including Brady. What’s puzzling is why he’s consulting for the Dolphins when he has no ties to the team, no history as a player, no ownership stake, and no permanent role, according to reports.
NFL teams often bring in outside perspectives. But when a team taps someone with access and insights gained from a network job, it creates a conflict for the employer. Without ESPN, Aikman likely wouldn’t have that access—or the valuable information the Dolphins are paying him to provide.
That is a conflict of interest if he uses any information from ESPN for the Dolphins. Rules are rules, right?
Here lies the confusion. Rules exist to prevent issues. Protocols between the NFL and its network partners have always protected the quality and integrity of broadcasts. Yet in recent years, conflicts have become more public—and neither the league nor the networks seem to notice or care.
With Aikman assisting the Dolphins, will he be allowed to call games for the team that paid him? Will broadcasters now need disclaimers before commenting on teams they helped shape?
Brady is “closely involved” in the Raiders’ head coaching search. Is that a conflict? Should we ask the same about his FOX Sports role?
Most fans likely don’t care. But few could replicate this in their own line of work—using company-gathered information to benefit someone else. That is exactly why broadcasters have conflict-of-interest clauses.
Sports norms are changing daily. Games are no longer confined to a single channel. Box scores now include analytics once ignored. Networks license talent instead of building rosters. Broadcasters are now paid advocates for NFL teams while the league begins to own the networks.
Maybe I’m just an old man yelling from the porch, but integrity used to matter. We trusted the voice on the call to be objective. With the latest bending of rules, I hope it doesn’t take a breach that destroys that trust.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
