Previously, Tom Brady has managed to walk the tightrope between being the No. 1 analyst for Fox and a minority owner/majority voice for the Raiders. More recently, he might have stepped off the wire.

Via Jordan Schultz of Fox — which makes him a Brady colleague — Brady recently hosted Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford at Brady’s home in Montana.

Per the report, “[T]hey spent time together and went skiing. Brady has been actively trying to convince Stafford to join the Raiders, and discussions are ongoing.”

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reacted to the report by explaining that Brady and Stafford “ran into each other at a ski resort in Montana,” that the “unplanned” meeting “was not extensive or in-depth and did not include Brady ‘hosting’ or ‘recruiting’ Stafford.”

Schultz has since doubled down, with this: “If you really think Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford just happened to run into each other at a ski resort in Montana — of all places — at the exact same time, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.”

Although the Rams have given Stafford’s agent to speak to other teams, there’s been no indication that the Rams have issued broad permission for Stafford to visit with other teams’ coaches, executives, or owners. Absent such permission, any meeting between Stafford and Brady would amount to a tampering violation. Which would explain the effort to put the toothpaste back in the tube.

We’ve asked the Rams for clarification as to the permission that Stafford has received. If he hasn’t been given a blank check to visit with other teams, any team that visits with him would be running afoul of the rules.

And any Fox reporter pushing that angle would be taking the very real risk of incurring the Wrath of Tom.