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For a quarterback known for his precision, Tom Brady‘s latest on-air slip-up was anything but, sparking a firestorm of controversy during the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys broadcast. In a clip from the game, the NFL legend was heard mispronouncing offensive lineman Landon Dickerson’s name.

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He said “nicker” while explaining a play. However, the word sounded like a racial slur to many.

“Excuse me. Landon Dickerson, right there,” Tom Brady quickly corrected himself.

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While it was an accident, the clip still went viral on social media. Some thought he mixed up the name with the Eagles cornerback Parry Nickerson. Others were convinced he accidentally said “nicker” and not a racial slur.

“There’s a Landon Dickerson and Parry Nickerson who’s a db for Philly don’t do Brady like that..” one said, while another commented, “He said nicker… come on.”

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Netizens and fans rarely take a live TV mistake lightly, and Brady knows this better than anyone. During the NFC wild-card game between the Eagles and the Green Bay Packers, he mixed up players’ names on national television. He accidentally referred to Packers running back Josh Jacobs as former NFL player Brandon Jacobs.

There were a few more slip-ups, too, in that game. For instance, he mentioned the city’s baseball team instead of the football team while praising a play call during halftime. These mistakes were enough to spark chatter on social media. Although it was his first-ever playoff broadcast, and the tension was understandably high, he was still heavily criticized. Some even suggested that FOX Sports should replace him.

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Even his FOX debut for the game between the Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns was criticized. At that time, he kept a calm tone, used humor, and shared his insights from his quarterback experience. However, many pointed out that Brady made several awkward pauses while analyzing the game.

His first broadcast wasn’t as flawless as many had expected. Now, there’s a reason for those high expectations. Brady replaced FOX’s top analyst, Greg Olsen, after signing a 10-year, $375 million deal for the job.

This is a massive contract that immediately put pressure on him to perform at a higher level. While Brady seems past these early hurdles, many still seemed to have doubts about his dual role in the sport. Apart from his analyst job, he is also a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.

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Tom Brady defended his dual roles as analyst and Raiders part-owner

Brady is often criticized for juggling two important jobs. During the preseason game between the Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers, the analyst was seen in the Raiders’ booth. This sparked rumors, and this wasn’t the first time.

Back on September 15 this year, Brady received heavy backlash after he was spotted inside the Raiders’ coaching booth. This was following the team’s 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Some questioned whether Brady used any information to help his team.

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Many raised concerns about Brady’s dual role, questioning whether it was a conflict of interest. Brady finally addressed the criticism in his weekly newsletter, calling out the doubters and explaining his stance on the matter.

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“I love football,” he wrote on The 199. “And with all the success it has given me, I feel I have a moral and ethical duty to the sport; which is why the point where my roles in it intersect is not actually a point of conflict, despite what the paranoid and distrustful might believe. Rather, it’s the place from which my ethical duty emerges: to grow, evolve, and improve the game that has given me everything.”

Perhaps to avoid such a situation, the league had placed certain restrictions on Brady last year. He wasn’t allowed to attend team meetings before games. Now, those rules were relaxed this season. While Brady can now join virtual meetings, he is still prohibited from entering another team’s practice facility or watching their practices.

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So, while Brady seems to be handling both jobs pretty well so far, it clearly isn’t easy.

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