Former Teammate Reignites Rumors Surrounding QB Previously Linked to Raiders

Getty Mark Davis & Josh McDaniels of the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Las Vegas Raiders have been secretive about Jimmy Garoppolo’s injury status since it was revealed her underwent offseason foot surgery. His status will finally be more clear when veterans report to training camp on July 25.

If he’s not ready to go, speculation about what the team will do at quarterback is bound to be rampant. Tom Brady retired for the second time this offseason but there continues to be talk of him returning. He last played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their quarterback situation is in flux with Baker Mayfield expected to be the starter. However, some on the team are still holding out hope for Brady to come walking through the doors.

In a July 12 interview on “The Richard Sherman Podcast,” Buccaneers cornerback Antoine Winfield Jr. speculated that the team is trying to get Brady to return.

“I’m sure we’re still reaching out to him trying to see if he’s trying to come back to the team,” Winfield said of the Buccaneers front office. “Hey, it could happen. Anything’s possible.”

While Winfield likely doesn’t know if Brady is planning to return, it doesn’t sound like he’s fully buying that the star quarterback is permanently retired.

Why Las Vegas Raiders Would Be Most Likely Landing Spot for Tom Brady

Antoine Winfield Jr. seems to believe that a Buccaneers return could still be possible for Tom Brady, but that seems highly unlikely. The future Hall of Fame quarterback currently has an agreement with the Raiders to become a part owner of the team pending league approval. This is something that has already been announced by Brady and Raiders owner Mark Davis.

Now, his ownership in the team still needs to be approved by 24 of the 32 NFL owners. If he does get approved but still wants to play, he will once again need approval from 24 owners. Having an ownership stake in the Raiders and playing for the Buccaneers would create a very odd situation. If he does get approved for ownership and wants to play again, playing for the Raiders is the only situation that would make sense.

Tom Brady Explains Why He Picked the Las Vegas Raiders

Tom Brady has been rumored to join the Raiders since 2020 as a player but it was a surprise to see him purchase an ownership stake. An icon like Brady likely could’ve taken his time and eventually gotten in a stake in a number of other teams. However, he’s a Northern California boy at heart and he couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to have a stake in one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises.

He recently explained why he decided to join the Raiders.

“I grew up in the Bay Area. My favorite team was the 49ers. The team across the bay was the Raiders. And, you know, they’re an iconic NFL franchise,” Brady said in a June 9 interview with the Associated Press. “When I look at a lot of the people that have impacted the NFL over a long period of time in the most positive way, Al Davis is one of them. And he’s not with us anymore but I’ve heard incredible stories. And then the opportunity came about to become a minority owner in the Raiders, it was a dream come true for me.”