Tom Brady Is Out Of The Woods On Potential Tampering With Matthew Stafford

INDIANAPOLIS – However that Montana meeting between Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford happened – whether it was a planned recruiting visit or coincidental contact – it wasn't tampering.

That comes directly from the NFL.

"No issue here," a league spokesman told OutKick in an email Thursday morning. "The Rams provided permission."

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 31: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams yells while warming up prior to a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on December 31, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

Stafford Free To Meet Team Officials

Well, well.

That's interesting because until now the assumption among pundits has been that Stafford got permission from the Rams to have his agent contact other teams and weigh their interest in both trading for and signing Stafford to an extension.

This is different.

The permission apparently extends to Stafford meeting with team officials. And that includes Brady, who is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and wants Stafford to be traded to and agree to a contract with his team.

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 12: Tom Brady talks with New England Patriots CEO Robert Kraft prior to the 2024 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for Tom Brady at Gillette Stadium on June 12, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/Getty Images)

Brady Met With Stafford In Montana

The genesis of the Brady-Stafford meeting came on Wednesday when Fox Sports insider Jordan Shultz reported Stafford visited Brady at his Montana home, the two went skiing together, and Brady was recruiting Stafford.

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport contradicted that report, saying this was a chance meeting between Brady and Stafford and no recruiting was done.

Whichever is true – and the feeling around the NFL is it was the former – Brady was obviously well inbounds of NFL rules.