Tom Brady's Ruff Week: From Booth Blunders to Flag Football in Saudi Arabia

Tom Brady BioSnap a weekly updated Biography. Tom Brady has been everywhere in the headlines these past few days, and not always for the reasons that made him a seven-time Super Bowl champion. Sunday’s FOX broadcast saw Brady back in the booth for his second season as the network’s lead analyst, calling the Chicago Bears’ decisive victory over the Dallas Cowboys alongside Kevin Burkhardt. But it was a live mic moment that stole the spotlight: as George Pickens vented his frustration after a dropped pass, Brady commented, “Those helmets can be -- it’s like the dog at home. Kick the dog, throw the helmet. Whatever it takes.” Animal lovers and advocates poured onto social media with outrage. Many accused Brady of being flippant about animal abuse, while others speculated about his home life. No public comments from Brady yet about the backlash, but TMZ and Men’s Journal confirm that the criticism is spreading rapidly and he is squarely in the cultural crosshairs. Even as the controversy brewed, Brady’s business and broadcast schedules have been packed. FOX Sports states that he began the 2025 NFL season broadcasting the Giants vs. Commanders in Week 1, keeping up his high-profile analyst role. His next game will be Cowboys versus Bears in Week 3, continuing what looks to be a robust media presence as America’s most famous retired quarterback. It’s not just football commentary keeping Brady busy. According to WBUR, Brady revealed on Monday that he’s set to play in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Saudi Arabia next year. This multi-year flag football event, hosted at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh and televised by FOX Sports, will team Brady with NFL stars like Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Maxx Crosby, Rob Gronkowski, and others. Coaches include Pete Carroll, Sean Payton, and Kyle Shanahan—solid evidence that flag football will be a major storyline as it makes its Olympic debut in 2028, and that Brady plans to be a global face for the sport. Al-Monitor adds that the event is part of Saudi Arabia’s big push into American sports in alignment with its Vision 2030 strategy. Turning back to NFL business, Brady’s ownership role with the Las Vegas Raiders hit the gossip circuit when ESPN cameras spotted him in the coaches’ booth wearing a headset during the September 15 Monday Night game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Social media was instantly ablaze with accusations that Brady’s dual roles breached league rules. Fox Sports and ESPN discussed the optics, but the NFL’s spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times Brady broke no policies, citing his legitimate capacity as minority owner. Raiders coach Pete Carroll downplayed claims Brady was directly advising on plays, saying they simply share regular conversations as friends and colleagues. In sum, Brady’s week has been a high-wire act of sports broadcasting, global business, and controversy—from the FOX booth to the Saudi sports expansion, and back to the NFL’s regulatory spotlight. Headlines about This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.