Tom Brady is prohibited from criticizing NFL officials, yet he firmly states that any conspiracy theories suggesting they favor the Kansas City Chiefs are mere “fake news.” Throughout their pursuit of a third consecutive Super Bowl, the Chiefs have faced accusations of receiving preferential treatment from referees, with some attributing it to poor officiating. Others have gone further, claiming the NFL is rigging games to ensure Taylor Swift’s presence at Super Bowl LIX.
Ahead of his commentary for Fox on Super Bowl LIX, Brady appeared on Fox & Friends on Friday morning to discuss the Chiefs’ matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. This interview, alongside a few segments with Colin Cowherd, marked one of his few public appearances this season. During his Fox & Friends appearance, the seven-time Super Bowl champion passionately dismissed the conspiracy theories surrounding officiating.
“I think it’s just all BS. It’s just a bunch of noise,” Brady stated. “These refs have very challenging jobs to do. I’m very happy Twitter didn’t exist during the Tuck Rule Game in 2001, let me say that. I would’ve been on the wrong end on a lot of those. But these refs are out there trying to do their very best. They have to make decisions in a split second, calling what they see, and they are some of the most professional people on the field. They just want to do a good job like everyone else. Sometimes the calls go your way, sometimes they don’t. In the end, over the course of a 140-play game on both sides, players have ample opportunities to make an impact on the outcome, and that’s what I’m excited to see on Sunday night.”
At the beginning of the NFL season, which is Brady’s first in the booth for Fox, the league imposed certain restrictions on him due to his minority ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders. Among these was a ban on criticizing officials. However, Tom Brady has previously criticized calls during the season without significant repercussions from the league. It’s clear he wouldn’t fuel any conspiracy theories about referee bias against the Chiefs just days before Super Bowl LIX. Given his relationship with the league and the favoritism allegations he faced throughout his career, it makes sense that he would choose to defend the officials.
