Tom Brady's upcoming Commanders-Lions assignment sparks 'conflict of interest' debate

Fox’s Tom Brady will call Saturday’s Commanders-Lions NFC Divisional Round game, but as a Raiders minority owner, Brady is also part of the team’s “brain trust that is reportedly interested in hiring Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson” as the team's head coach, sparking questions of conflict of interest, according to Jimmy Traina of SI. Traina wrote he doesn't see how this would "have any impact on Brady's call of the game," adding he doesn't think the call would "be different in any way, shape or form because he wants to hire Johnson." The problems with conflicts of interest “arise when we don’t know about the conflict of interest.” Traina added if the viewers "know going into the game" that Brady might have interest in Johnson as the Raiders' coach, "what exactly is the issue?" Traina: "I do think Fox and Brady are obligated to mention that Brady and the Raiders have interest in Johnson during their intro to the game." The transparency is "important," but it "doesn't have anything to do with conflict of interest" (SI, 1/14).

MISSING PIECE : In Charlotte, Scott Fowler wrote Fox’s Greg Olsen’s absence during this year’s playoffs is a “TV travesty.” Olsen has been “benched” for these playoffs so Brady “could take all the plum assignments .” Fowler: “Almost anyone who has listened to Olsen and Brady for any length of time knows" Olsen’s demotion "makes no sense. While Brady has improved in his rookie broadcasting season and is now passable in the lead analyst role for Fox, he too often is a master of the obvious.” Olsen “is the best live broadcaster in the game.” Fowler wrote he “really missed Olsen” after tuning into the Wild Card games and he followed Olsen’s X account “for analysis” ( CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/14 ).