NFL owners are clearly not eager to welcome Tom Brady into their ranks.

This sentiment is evident in the restrictions the league has placed on Brady, who is transitioning from broadcaster to a prospective minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. Approval for this move is still several months away and may not happen at all. The NFL appears to be cornering Brady into a decision between his lucrative broadcasting contract and the allure of owning part of an NFL team — and it’s evident which option they favor.

According to ESPN, Brady is prohibited from observing practices of other teams or participating in production meetings with coaching staff, whether in person or online. This is understandable, as NFL executives and coaches are notoriously protective of competitive secrets – a lost playbook could cost a player as much as $14,650. The prospect of someone with a stake in another team having access to even basic information is enough to set off alarm bells.

However, the ban on entering another team’s facility feels rather personal. Given the context, this reaction is somewhat expected.

Having established himself as arguably the best quarterback ever, with seven Super Bowl wins and three regular-season MVP awards, Brady is a significant asset for the league and his broadcast partner Fox. Not only is he a likely Hall of Famer, but he brings charisma, humor, and social media savvy to the table.

Yet, Brady’s history complicates this narrative, given his involvement in two major cheating scandals over the last two decades.

He faced a four-game suspension due to “Deflategate,” despite his continual denials of any wrongdoing. While at New England, he had much to gain from “Spygate,” where the Patriots and their head coach Bill Belichick incurred hefty fines for illegally obtaining opponents’ signals.

The lack of trust towards Brady from team owners, even after all these years, may seem trivial. However, many owners still harbor resentment over the scandals and the perceived favoritism shown to the Patriots during Brady’s career, and they are reluctant to move on.

The clearest indicator of Brady’s unwelcomeness as an owner is the order preventing him from criticizing referees and other teams.

Essentially, he is restricted from performing his job as a broadcaster. Fox has committed a staggering $375 million to have him as an analyst over the next decade.

It wouldn’t be suitable for Brady to make unfair critiques of, say, the Kansas City Chiefs owners or the officiating crew of a specific game. This applies to other prominent analysts like Troy Aikman and Tony Romo as well.

However, top analysts are expected to provide honest evaluations of on-field events. Networks like Fox are not just paying these analysts for their fame but for their capacity to offer viewers genuine insights into the games.

If a refereeing crew makes a contentious call leading to a game-winning touchdown, will Brady be expected to overlook that? One major topic in recent seasons has been the league’s efforts to protect quarterbacks. Will Brady have the opportunity to discuss these critical calls and share his invaluable perspective?

If Russell Wilson isn’t thriving in Pittsburgh, similar to his struggles in Denver, can Brady speak on that? Should he tiptoe around Caleb Williams’ challenges with the Chicago Bears as the top draft pick? If the Dallas Cowboys hit a rough patch, should Brady ignore the possibility of Mike McCarthy being in jeopardy?

Audiences deserve an informative commentator, not just a cheerleader. This approach explains why Aikman remains a fixture while Drew Brees had a brief stint. Brady can’t provide Fox with the value for their investment if he abides by the NFL’s constraints.

This is precisely the underlying issue.

Brady has a choice: he can be an analyst or a minority owner of the Raiders, but he cannot do both. The NFL has already made this decision clear.