A rare 10 p.m. EST Monday Night Football game had fans of the National Football League questioning everything. The MNF doubleheader ended with Pete Carroll’s Las Vegas Raiders falling to the Los Angeles Chargers, 20-9. The game may not have been super competitive, but the competitive spirit of the one and only Tom Brady was put in the spotlight. Seen in the Raiders coaches’ box, many wondered how FOX’s announcer could get away with this.
Boomer Esiason Draws the Line on Tom Brady Being in the Raiders’ Coaches Box
Having played in the NFL from 1984 to 97, Boomer Esiason strongly opposed the ongoing Brady debate. FOX placed strong restrictions on Brady’s access to calling games last season, though they lifted those for the 2025 season.
Knowing he’s a minority owner in Las Vegas, many wonder how Brady is able to get away with it and why the league hasn’t stepped in.
“Utter B.S. as far as I’m concerned. … How can you be objective when you’re in this situation?”
Boomer Esiason sounds off on Tom Brady being seen in the Raiders coaches’ box on ‘MNF’: pic.twitter.com/iNissssXDj
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 16, 2025
“The fact that he’s sitting in the coaches box with the headset on and talking to Pete Carroll, the GM, their OC, is complete and utter BS,” Esiason said. “The NFL is the ultimate competitive place and you’re allowing a guy to sit there, who’s a part owner of the team, which is fine, and now he’s involved in these gameplans… he’s going to be meeting with these coaches and talk about players? That is utter BS as far as I’m concerned.”
Reports surfaced that the NFL had no issue with Brady being in the box and communicating with his team. While the league doesn’t see it as a problem, Esiason is among many fans and NFL legends speaking out on the seven-time Super Bowl champion.
NFL announced today that Tom Brady, a minority owner with the Raiders and a broadcaster for Fox, is “prohibited from going to a team facility for practices or production meetings.” But he is allowed to sit in the coaches’ booth, per the league.https://t.co/gapNlq6lZ0
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2025
“I know he’s going to try and be objective, but how can you be objective when you’re in this situation and why are they allowing this?” Esiason asked.
He continued, “There is definitely a conflict of interest there, 100%… As much respect as I have for the player, in this regard, this completely goes against what the NFL is all about. Guys get fired, they lose jobs, this guy seems to be isolated for some reason. I understand why he’s isolated, he’s good for the league, I get it, but the conflict of interest is startling.”
News also broke that Brady would be un-retiring, though it’s only for a flag-football competition in Saudi Arabia. While we may never see Brady for the NFL again, he remains actively involved through his stake in the Raiders and calling games weekly on FOX.