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Tom Brady seen in coaches' box during Raiders' loss to Chargers, meets with OC Chip Kelly multiple times a week

Tom Brady, it turns out, has a bigger role with the Las Vegas Raiders than previously thought.

The longtime New England Patriots star and future Hall of Famer was spotted in the coaches’ booth at Allegiant Stadium on Monday night for the Las Vegas Raiders’ 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He had a headset on and everything, and was working with Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly throughout the game.

That, it turns out, is something Brady does often each week during the season.

Now it's easy to see why Kelly and the Raiders would want to consult with Brady, who had his purchase of a minority stake in the Raiders approved officially last year. He won seven Super Bowls throughout his 23 seasons in the league and is widely considered one of the best players in the history of the sport. Utilizing him to make your team better feels like a no-brainer.

But Brady is the lead analyst with Fox and calls games across the league each week as part of his broadcast job. That makes Kelly’s revelation that he talks with Brady multiple times a week and goes through film and game plans with him significantly stranger.

Because of his status as an owner, Brady is hit with several restrictions that other broadcasters aren't — including not being able to attend team practices, visit team facilities and more. He initially wasn't allowed to attend production meetings, either, but the NFL relaxed those rules recently and now allows Brady to attend production meetings with coaches and players each week remotely. Undoubtedly, Brady is still incredibly connected in the league.

The conflict of interest there is very clear, and it’s only going to get worse. Brady is scheduled to call the Dallas Cowboys’ matchup with the Chicago Bears next Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago, which will give him close access to both franchises. The following week, the Bears will head to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders, the team that Brady is a part owner of and offensive consultant for.

While that may not be technically against the rules, it’s easy to question — even for the man who dominated the sport for more than two decades.

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