What restrictions will Tom Brady face as Fox analyst for Lions game?

The guardrails the NFL constructed to facilitate Tom Brady’s role as a Raiders minority owner and his job as the lead NFL analyst on Fox will be tested Saturday.

Brady, in the first year of a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox, will be in the broadcast booth at Detroit’s Ford Field calling the Lions’ playoff game against the Washington Commanders. His role calls for him to provide candid analysis on everything ranging from player performance to coaching decisions.

That means he’s bound to talk about Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Good, bad or indifferent.

And therein lies the rub.

Johnson and Glenn figure prominently in the Raiders’ search for a head coach to replace recently fired Antonio Pierce. Both interviewed with the club Jan. 10 during the Lions’ first-round bye. By league rule, the Raiders were limited to virtual interviews with them.

Brady, approved as a minority owner in October, is spearheading the club’s coach and general manager search. His presence in the organization is largely responsible for Johnson, the hottest candidate in the hiring cycle, agreeing to interview with the Raiders.

Johnson is considered the front-runner for the job, but the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars also are interested in the 38-year-old.

At the least, the close proximity Brady will have to Johnson and Glenn and the opportunity to talk about them during the telecast raises the appearance of a conflict of interest.

It has left some media members questioning whether Brady should be allowed to call Saturday’s game. Within the league, however, there seems to be far less pushback.

“I think it’s the dumbest story,” a high-ranking NFL team executive said.

Nevertheless, the TV audience will be keenly tuned into Brady. How brutally honest will he be in assessing the performance of Johnson and Glenn? Will he treat them with kid gloves, hoping not to offend either in a way that might hurt the Raiders’ efforts to land them?

“I can imagine the line he’s walking is pretty thin,” a team official said.

Rules are in place

Bracing for Brady’s dual role, the NFL placed restrictions on the seven-time Super Bowl champion. Among them:

■ He’s not allowed to be in another team’s facility. He can’t attend team practices.

■ He’s forbidden from participating in in-person or virtual broadcast production meetings with coaches or players.

■ He’s not allowed to criticize officials and other clubs publicly.

■ He must adhere to the league’s antitampering policies that limit his communication with players and coaches of other teams to “strictly social.”

Other than not publicly criticizing teams, there are no restrictions on game or performance analysis. Brady is free to provide praise or criticism.

The NFL is treating Saturday’s game no differently from any other game Brady has called this season, according to league spokesman Brian McCarthy.

“There have been no new restrictions this week,” McCarthy said. “Tom will continue to adhere to the broadcast guidelines and also the antitampering and Rooney Rule policies.”

Can Brady talk to Johnson?

The tampering policies will be of utmost attention. Brady could use his interactions with Johnson or Glenn to pitch the Raiders to them.

It’s not unusual for broadcasters to roam the field during pregame warmups and have brief conversations with players or coaches. But with all eyes watching Brady, it remains to be seen if he will visit with any of the participants before kickoff.

Johnson said this week he’s unaware of any rules forbidding Brady from talking to him Saturday.

“I know nothing of that nature,” he said during his weekly media availability.

Johnson said he had a brief encounter with Brady earlier this season when Brady called a Lions-Green Bay Packers game.

“I met him at the Packers’ game on the field. I saw him for a second in pregame,” Johnson said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever met him, and that’s it.”

If Brady and Johnson cross paths Saturday, a “casual hello” is permitted, according to McCarthy.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com . Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.