Speculation surrounding Tom Brady’s potential return to the football field has been circulating for some time now, fueled by the fact that the legendary quarterback has not completely ruled out the possibility. After all, Brady famously came out of retirement once before, so the idea doesn’t seem entirely far-fetched.
However, any hopes of seeing Brady suit up in an NFL uniform again may be dashed once and for all when his dream of owning a portion of an NFL team comes to fruition. According to multiple sources within the league who spoke to CBS Sports, if Brady is approved as a partial owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, he will be prohibited from playing for any NFL team, including the Raiders themselves.
This represents a significant shift from the league’s previous stance in the spring of 2023, when it was confirmed that Brady could own a stake in the Raiders and potentially play for them if a supermajority of team owners gave their approval. Now, however, sources indicate that such a scenario is off the table, thanks to a rule change implemented in July 2023 by the NFL’s finance committee and subsequently approved by the ownership.
Under this new rule, which bars team employees (including players) who are not family members of the team’s owner from holding equity in the franchise, Brady would be classified as an employee in the eyes of the league. The exact language of the policy states that the ownership membership “endorses and adopts the policy statement of the Finance Committee regarding transactions of club equity involving club employees who are neither Principal Owner nor a member of the Principal Owner’s family.”
The original report of this rule change was first made by the Sports Business Journal, shedding light on the behind-the-scenes developments that could impact Brady’s future ownership aspirations. The quarterback had initially struck a deal with Raiders owner Mark Davis in May 2023 to purchase a share of the team, but final approval has been pending the league’s review process, including concerns raised by other teams over the valuation of the Raiders franchise.
In the meantime, Brady remains busy with his broadcasting duties at FOX, entering his third game as a commentator. He also holds a minority interest in the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, a team predominantly owned by Davis, as well as a share in the English soccer club Birmingham City.
As the saga continues to unfold, all eyes will be on whether Brady can secure the approval he needs to fulfill his ambitions of team ownership or if the dream of seeing him back on the field will be permanently sidelined by the league’s ownership policies.
