Roger Goodell hardly knew Tom Brady would create a domino effect in the league when the NFL owners approved his bid to become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. Because it turns out, there’s a new trend among the broadcasters to take a side job in gridiron. After Brady, Troy Aikman has taken a role in the Miami Dolphins‘ consultation in their search for a new General Manager… and it’s not being taken lightly. 

Among the first to raise a voice was Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk; he urged the NFL commissioner to end this trend at the root, or else it would lead to unfair competition practices on the gridiron. 

“The best approach would be for the NFL and all networks to make it clear that broadcasters can’t simultaneously work for teams. In any capacity,” wrote Florio in his latest piece. “The problem is that it’s too late to put the genie back in the bottle. So, teams, hire broadcasters. Broadcasters, go chase another paycheck. In the end, all’s fair in love, war, and football.”

Florio’s argument ultimately lands at the NFL commissioner’s desk, framing the issue as a league-level governance call rather than a team decision. 

The primary concern with Brady’s dual status as a FOX analyst and Raiders owner was the conflict of interest. His access to production meetings, private calls, and a huge informal network creates a “secret” advantage that no other team owner has. Yet FOX is paying him for the privilege. 

As a minority owner of the Raiders, he has a fiduciary duty towards his franchise. This means that if he discovers a flaw in his opponent’s scheme or sees an undervalued assistant coach during those broadcast prep sessions, he is arguably obligated to use this information to benefit the Raiders. 

Florio put it simply, “The question isn’t whether Brady can successfully navigate the two positions. The question is whether anyone should be in that position.”

Now the Dolphins have this unfair advantage by having the ESPN analyst Aikman as their consultant until they find a new General Manager. One might argue that the Hall of Famer’s position is temporary. Unlike Brady, he still has information collected from covering 31 other teams for 12 years. This information now becomes a weapon in Miami’s arsenal. 

For now, ESPN has ensured that Aikman’s side hustle does not affect his job as “Monday Night Football” analyst with the network. He’s set to call the Seahawks’ season finale against the 49ers that will decide the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have welcomed the outside help with open arms. 

Mike McDaniel welcomed outside help from Troy Aikman

The Dolphins’ front office has been in flux since Halloween, when they fired long-time General Manager Chris Grier amid a disappointing 2-7 season. Since the news, there have been speculations about head coach Mike McDaniel’s future as the team sits second-last in the division at 7-9. However, he’s keeping a positive front at the forefront of the media. 

“I’m not opposed to more information ever,” McDaniel told the reporters. “I think Troy Aikman speaks for himself in terms of his relationships that he’s had within the National Football League and knows a lot of things that, yeah, that information is a positive to me. And being able to resource that, I think, we’re fortunate. I’m excited for that as far as everything else.”

McDaniel confirmed that he had received a heads-up from the Dolphins before bringing Aikman on board. As for his job security, he asserted that worrying about it isn’t on his priority list. Plus, the Dolphins owner, Stephen M. Ross, also isn’t giving signs to suggest they are exploring their options at the head coach position. 

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