Oct 27, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Former New England Patriots quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe, left, and Tom Brady, right, talk during pregame warmups between the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

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‘He’s just playing within what the rules are’ – Tom Brady defends Patrick Mahomes in the officials favoring the Chiefs saga

Brady backs Mahomes as critics question officiating.

Tom Brady released a new YouTube video where he revisited some of the hardest hits he took during his 20-year NFL career. A lot of those hits sent his helmet flying, and one in particular caught his attention—a late slide that didn’t draw a penalty.

At the same moment, Colin Cowherd’s show The Herd was airing, with a discussion about how Patrick Mahomes seems to benefit from favorable officiating. Brady used this moment to address critics of Mahomes’ treatment by the refs.

Tom Brady backs Mahomes amid officiating debate

“Pat’s the best quarterback in the NFL,” Brady stated in the video. “He’s unbelievable. It doesn’t take away from his greatness at all. He’s just playing within what the rules and how they’re calling them so…”

The quote makes it clear where Brady stands. Mahomes isn’t getting a pass from the refs because of favoritism; he’s just playing smart within how the modern NFL rules work. And let’s be honest—if anyone knows about questionable calls and officiating leniency, it’s Brady himself.

Brady will call his first Super Bowl broadcast for FOX this Sunday. Meanwhile, Mahomes will make his fifth Super Bowl appearance. Brady has been to ten, so if there’s one person you should trust on this topic, it’s him.

The Super Bowl loosens the “Brady Rules”

Brady isn’t just a broadcaster. He’s also a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, which has put him under strict league rules to prevent any conflict of interest. These “Brady Rules” have kept him out of other teams’ facilities, practices, and even broadcast production meetings. However, for the Super Bowl, those restrictions are being relaxed—at least partially.

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt confirmed that Brady will be allowed to attend the Chiefs’ production meetings leading up to the game. Hunt said, “Since he’s doing the game this week, we have no issue with him being in our production meetings. He’ll have the access that any broadcaster would have.”

However, Brady still won’t be allowed to attend the Chiefs’ practices. The rest of the FOX crew, including Kevin Burkhardt, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi, will have full access.

Conflict of interest concerns resurface

Brady’s dual roles as both broadcaster and team owner have sparked concerns in NFL circles. Last year, Sports Business Journal reported that the league might expand its conflict of interest rules. The issue? Brady’s interviews with players like Mahomes, which raised questions about whether he could gain insider knowledge as a rival owner.

One proposal on the table involves requiring that any player-owner interactions be made public. This would prevent private conversations that could give Brady or the Raiders an edge.

In the meantime, teams like the Buffalo Bills have already tried—and failed—to get exceptions to the “Brady Rules” for games where Brady was part of the broadcast team. The NFL denied their request.

(Image via Imagn Images)

Patrick Mahomes

Tom Brady

Natasha Bose

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