Tom Brady walks the tightrope in his first Fox broadcast as Raiders owner

During Fox's NFL pregame show, a hologram of Tom Brady was flashed in the studio, making Brady look like he was talking directly to Michael Strahan, Terry Bradshaw and the rest of the gang.

If only there were actually two Bradys, the $375 million No. 1 NFL game analyst's life as an anchor would be much more straightforward.

Last week, the young TV analyst officially became a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. This has brought the Brady Rules even more into focus.

The Brady Rules imposed by the NFL stipulate that Brady must avoid criticizing league officials or other teams and that he is not allowed to visit team facilities or participate in broadcasts. Of course, the rules also apply to other owners, but none of them are paid to analyze opponents on television.

Immediately prior to Brady's pregame hologram appearance, Fox aired Brady's interview with Patrick Mahomes prior to the network's broadcast of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. The conversation between Brady and Mahomes took place at the Chiefs' hotel in the Bay Area.

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The Brady Rules seem to be a bit interchangeable. The team hotel is fine, but wouldn't the team facility have been? As a quarterback, would Brady have captured all of the Chiefs' plans if he had been at their headquarters? Would he have filmed the training? Empty balls? Who knows?

Brady is doing better on air. The awkwardness of Week 1 hasn't completely disappeared after seven games, but it has evaporated. He is becoming more comfortable with additional repetitions. His cadence has an evolving rhythm.

He's not yet as good as the man he replaced, Greg Olsen, but he's on the right track. If he continues on his current trajectory, he should be ready for Fox's Super Bowl broadcast to over 100 million viewers in February.

The ownership aspect makes it a little more difficult; especially when it comes to criticism or taking sides during the games.

There were two questionable flags in the 49ers-Chiefs first quarter on Sunday. Early on, Brady agreed to a hold call from the 49ers. At the end of the period, a late interference flag on the Chiefs' Justin Reid inspired Brady to say he could imagine Reid might be a little frustrated by the call, before turning to Fox booth official Mike Pereira .

Midway through the second quarter, Brady began making another holding call before exiting with the words “Mike?” Pereira made his decision.

Ownership or not, it makes sense to turn to Pereira since he travels the country with Brady and play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt on Sundays just for these moments.

Of course, Brady is at his best when talking about quarterback play; especially on one of the few players today who could be considered a historic competitor to Mahomes. Near the end of the first half, as Mahomes lunged, Brady said in an amused voice, “He's literally breaking every quarterback rule I've ever learned.”

“It’s a tough fight against Patrick Mahomes.”@TomBrady gives the 49ers the key to victory in the 2nd half. pic.twitter.com/43VuE34f4y

– FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 20, 2024

Brady didn't always understand what the audience wanted. Late in the game, Mahomes made another one of his amazing throws when he was mishandled on a third down conversion. Brady immediately talked about backup tight end Noah Gray, who caught the pass. Finally, Burkhardt had to chime in again: “Mahomes falls to the ground while throwing it.”

Brady understood, adding, “We’ve seen this so many times. What a stallion.”

On Sunday, Fox rode Brady as their No. 1. This is how they envision using him with room to grow.

Not only did Fox beam Brady onto the pregame show and have him interview Mahomes, but he was also there for the usual postgame hit.

Things got a little weird when he talked about Mahomes not having to throw deep. Brady said Mahomes doesn't need to be “bombs over Baghdad.” The spot has improved.

When Strahan mentioned that sometimes one team has another's number, referencing the old rivalry between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots, Brady good-naturedly threatened to leave the locker room.

He stayed in to finish the section. The Raiders co-owner was all over Fox's broadcast calling the game of the AFC West rival Chiefs. As long as Las Vegas continues to be terrible, perhaps there won't be as many problems for the Brady broadcaster.

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Tom Brady's juggling act as Raiders owner and TV analyst seems untenable for Fox

(Photo: Aaron M. Sprecher / Getty Images)