The Tom Brady restrictions apply to Troy Aikman, too

While the NFL won't keep broadcasters from having direct relationships with teams (it should), restrictions will apply to anyone who chooses to own or work for one of the 32 franchises. After initially saying that Troy Aikman's role with the Dolphins will be addressed at the appropriate time, the fact that the season is approaching has made the time appropriate. And, like Fox analyst/Raiders owner Tom Brady, ESPN analyst/Dolphins employee Troy Aikman will have restrictions regarding his TV job. "The same parameters that pertained to Tom last season will continue this year and also will apply to Troy," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Mark Maske of Front Office Sports. So what are the parameters that will apply to Brady and Aikman? “Both may attend production meetings virtually but will have no access to practice facilities or practices," McCarthy said. "They may conduct interviews outside team facilities with football personnel and players. They could conduct the interview at the team hotel in an area separate from other football personnel. They could broadcast games involving their own club.” The league otherwise continues to be defensive about the notion that the role of broadcaster as to the entire league and direct financial interest in one of the teams should never be permitted. “There have been no issues with Tom over the last two seasons,” McCarthy said. “It is up to the coaches and clubs what they share with him. If they share information they shouldn’t, then that’s on them." Beyond the fact that coaches and clubs shouldn't have to tiptoe around what they say when cooperating with the NFL's broadcast partners, the NFL shouldn't want the people broadcasting its games to be less prepared than they could be. The conflict is obvious; otherwise, neither Brady nor Aikman would have any restrictions. And the restrictions make it more difficult for Brady and Aikman to fully inform viewers as to what's happening on the field. This is on the league. When Brady tried to buy a piece of the Raiders (at a bargain-basement price), the league should have forced him to pick a lane: broadcaster or owner. If they'd done it with Brady, Aikman wouldn't have tried to double dip. So have at it, Cris Collinsworth, Kirk Herbstreit, J.J. Watt, and any other analyst that can catch another paycheck by working for a team. The league is fine with it, and the other teams are missing out on the insights that someone who travels to different stadiums and talks to different coaches, players, and executives can gather.