Bill Simmons pushed back on growing concerns over Tom Brady’s appearance in the Las Vegas Raiders’ coaching booth during Week 2, downplaying the notion that the seven-time Super Bowl champion gained an unfair advantage through his dual role as a minority owner and FOX broadcaster.
On the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons discussed the matter with guest Mina Kimes, framing the incident as more of a perception problem than a substantive one.
“Tom Brady is this cheating that he’s in the fox booth but then also…I’ve done the basketball version of where you get to meet the coach and talk about the players. It’s a little overrated, it’s not like they’re like, ‘Here’s our game plan.’ It’s more stuff like, ‘We really like Tucker Kraft, he’s been a pleasant surprise. It’s not here is our game plan.”
Brady was spotted in the Raiders’ coaching booth with a headset during the team’s 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football. The moment drew criticism across the league, with some analysts questioning whether his ownership stake compromised the competitive integrity of his broadcasting responsibilities.
Kimes said the outrage has been overstated, particularly when it comes to competitive advantage.
“I am a little surprised by how upset people are about the competitive integrity side of it,” she said. “I kind of asked Dan last night like, ‘So you have ever really gotten anything in a production meeting where you felt like, whoa, I can’t believe they’re telling us this?’ And no, you’re right, it’s pretty mundane stuff so I don’t feel like he has an unfair advantage for his team.”
Tom Brady’s Raiders role seen as optics issue rather than competitive threat
She added that the larger concern may be about optics and perception.
“I think if anyone should be bothered by it, I suppose it would be the perception of bias in the booth maybe from a media perspective… if anything, I think he’s probably going to go out of his way to be nice to divisional opponents when he’s calling games, that would be my guess.”
Kimes emphasized that the uproar stems from how Brady is viewed, not what actually occurred.
“I think it bothers people not because of the substance of it, but because of the appearance of just like, ‘oh, he’s above the rules, right? Like of course, Tom Brady gets allowed to do it.’ I don’t think the substance of it is that bad.”
Brady purchased a minority stake in the Raiders in 2024 and began his broadcasting career with FOX last season. The NFL later clarified there is no rule preventing owners from sitting in the booth or wearing a headset, noting that Brady was present in his role as a limited partner.
Despite the loss to Los Angeles, Las Vegas sits at 1-1 heading into a Week 3 road matchup against the Washington Commanders. Brady’s presence continues to attract headlines, but Simmons and Kimes argue the controversy may say more about the public’s perception of Brady than any competitive imbalance.
