Tom Brady hasn’t even sat in the broadcast booth yet and some are already questioning his work as an analyst, all because of NFL restrictions. With Brady’s debut looming, former player Ryan Clark cast a shadow of doubt on his integrity as a sports analyst.

The Analyst Tom vs. NFL saga has dominated sports headlines in recent weeks. When fans were jumping with excitement for the former MVP’s debut as an NFL pundit for Fox Sports, the league put a hard stop to it with a myriad of restrictions that have earned it criticism from fans, the media, and other former players.

The NFL banned Brady from speaking to players, coaches, and officials. He also won’t be able to enter team facilities or talk about officials during his segments. All of this is part and parcel of an analyst’s job, and banning it puts at risk not only the job but also the reputation of the former New England Patriots signal-caller.

In this regard, Clark, a former Pittsburgh Steelers safety and now a sportscaster, warned that as long as the restrictions remain in place, Brady’s credibility cannot be trusted, so he will have to act selfishly for the first time in his career.

Clark blames the NFL

“How do I know if what Tom Brady is saying about the league is real when there’s a limitation on what he can do or say about the NFL based on his pending ownership, or if he gets an opportunity to be part owner, his ownership in the Las Vegas Raiders?” Clark asked in a recent episode of “The Pivot Podcast.”

However, the former player was quick to clarify that this is not the fault of the seven-time Super Bowl winner. Clark blamed the blockades that the NFL is imposing in the wake of Brady’s offer to acquire a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders.

The NFL’s decision has put the former quarterback between a rock and a hard place, Clark said, as now Brady “is gonna have to make the decision if he is okay with the perception that he is not 100% all-in on his job.”

Clark recalled that, at least in this sense, Brady’s life as a player was simpler. “Because football Tom Brady took lesser deals, football Tom Brady thought team over me. While retirement, Tom Brady said nope. I want to be the owner. And yup, I want this $37 million deal,” the former player recalled.

Time for Brady to be selfish

With the season and his job in the broadcast box just days away, Brady has already passed the point of no return in his work with Fox Sports. However, Clark considered that it is time for the former Patriot to be selfish.

“Tom Brady is going to have to, for the first time in his career, choose selfishness, right?” Clark said, adding that Brady “is also going to have to choose not to fully, one hundred percent, be invested in a job.”

With so much at stake, Brady will have to calculate his next steps carefully. However, if he handles his new duties the same way he handled his team on the field, there is no doubt he will be able to weather this storm.