Getty Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce.
It’s looking like Tom Brady’s ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders will be approved at the owners’ meetings in March but there could be one obstacle. Brady already came out of retirement once to play for the Buccaneers, and despite being 47 years old, there’s still speculation he still might not be done yet.
The Raiders have a need at quarterback this offseason but there isn’t an obvious fit for them. The team went 8-9 in 2023 and there’s excitement surrounding new head coach Antonio Pierce.
In an article about the 15 quarterbacks options for Las Vegas in 2024, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur floated Brady’s name as a possible fit.
“He appears set to finally become a broadcaster and also join the Raiders as a minority owner, but maybe he’s got that itch — and with the Raiders, you never know, anything is possible,” Tafur wrote in a February 22 column. “Maybe Brady, 47 in August, hears Patrick Mahomes coming for his throne and likes the idea of throwing to [Davante] Adams and going for the eighth ring. The real next Blanda.”
The Raiders have solid pieces on offense like Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers and Michael Mayer. It’s easy to see Brady having success with that group as long the offensive line was solidified.
Tom Brady Likely Would Have to Put Ownership on Hold
Brady buying a piece of the Raiders and making his triumphant return to the football field isn’t that simple. If his ownership stake is approved, he’d need a separate approval to also be able to play.
24 of 32 owners would have to agree to allow him to play. Why would owners want to help the Raiders? Some likely wouldn’t. The Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos ownership groups would almost certainly vote no.
Now, there are likely a lot of teams that wouldn’t care but it’s hard to see a ton of contending AFC teams being willing to help Las Vegas. Owner Mark Davis isn’t the most powerful owner in the league so there likely isn’t much fear in getting on his bad side. That said, the NFL is a business and Brady is good for business.
The future Hall of Famer leading the Raiders would be huge for ratings and would resurrect one of the NFL’s historic franchises. That’s what the team would have to convince the league at large.
Maxx Crosby and Tom Brady share a moment on the blue carpet. #vegas #raiders #RaiderNation #superbowl
Patrick Mahomes vs. Tom Brady
Tafur brought up a good point when he mentioned that Patrick Mahomes is coming for Tom Brady’s mantle of greatest quarterback of all time. The Chiefs star already has three Super Bowl wins but he has a lot more work to do to get to Brady’s seven.
If Brady came back and somehow won a Super Bowl with the Raiders, his status as the greatest quarterback of all time will likely go untouched for a long time. One thing that Brady has over Mahomes is that he already beat him in a Super Bowl.
With Brady retired, Mahomes will never be able to even things up. If he does come back and join the AFC West, he runs the risk of Mahomes beating him and being able to control the narrative again.