RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 3 sourcesTroy Aikman, who this offseason added an informal consultant role with the Miami Dolphins to his work on ESPN's Monday Night Football telecast, has been told he must abide by restrictions that have been on Tom Brady for a couple of years.
The NFL confirmed to Fox News Digital a report by Front Office Sports on Friday that Aikman must limit some of his access to clubs as part of his preparation for games.
Those limitations were initially placed on Brady when he joined Fox Sports.
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"The same parameters that pertained to Tom last season will continue this year and also will apply to Troy," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"Both may attend production meetings virtually but will have no access to practice facilities or practices.
"They may conduct interviews outside team facilities with football personnel and players. They could conduct the interview at the team hotel in an area separate from other football personnel."
One more thing:
"They could broadcast games involving their own club," McCarthy added.
Aikman has been the lead color commentator for "Monday Night Football" alongside Joe Buck since 2022 but this offseason he was added to the Dolphins hierarchy when ownership brought him in to help in the general manager and head coach search that eventually led to the hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley.
Hafley thanked Aikman at his introductory press conference for being part of the search committee that chose him as head coach. Sullivan clarified that Aikman is kept "in the fold" as an active resource, though with a distinct boundary regarding roster construction.
It is clear, however, that Aikman provides his insights to ownership and other club leadership when he deems necessary and those are welcome. At least some of those insights are obviously gathered from his broadcast role connections.
Aikman's role in Miami doesn't seem quite as formal as that of Brady, who is the No. 1 analyst on Fox broadcasts and also a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders . But the NFL is treating both the same now.
The league has been pleased with how Brady has balanced his dual roles and stayed within guidelines. It has no concerns that Brady, previously, and Aikman, in future, will pose a conflict of interest for any team.
"There have been no issues with Tom over the last two seasons. It is up to the coaches and clubs what they share with him," McCarthy said. "If they share information they shouldn’t, then that’s on them."
Interestingly, the information Aikman has shared so far probably has hurt the Dolphins rather than helped.
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During an interview earlier this month on the "Dallas Dialogue with Dale" show, Aikman pointed out that the Dolphins are not going to be a good team in 2026.
Everyone pretty much knew that already, but the problem is both Hafley and Sullivan have been working to get out the message that they want to win. That they aren't tanking this season.
(The Dolphins tanked the 2019 season by trading and releasing multiple big-name players in hopes of gaining a high NFL Draft pick in the first round of the 2020 draft. It sort of worked, although coach Brian Flores didn't go along with the plan and milked five wins out of a roster constructed to lose).
Anyway, Aikman apparently didn't get the memo from Hafley and Sullivan, who don't want their players and fans to think winning isn't a priority this season.
"The Dolphins are not expected to be very good this year," Aikman said. "They're getting out of cap hell, so there's no Monday night game with the Dolphins this year."
The Dolphins indeed do not play on Monday Night Football this season. But perhaps they would be smart to speak with Aikman about getting with the company line.
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