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Las Vegas Raiders owner and managing general partner and Las Vegas Aces owner Mark Davis (L) and Tom Brady (R)
Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis made waves this week when he appeared on Baron Davis’ Raiders: Talk of the Nation show and dropped surprising details about Tom Brady’s past connection to the Silver and Black.
According to Davis, Brady was much closer to becoming a Raider than most fans ever realized.
“He [Tom Brady] was supposed to be here in 2020,” Davis revealed. “That’s when our relationship started…when he was a free agent. We talked about him coming here to play quarterback, and obviously, it was a tough decision for him. He was close to wanting to come play here but the head coach and general manager decided they wanted to go a different direction so we didn’t sign him.”
For some context, the Raiders’ head coach and general manager in 2020 were Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock.
That decision altered the course of NFL history. Brady ultimately signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he went on to win his seventh Super Bowl title. Meanwhile, the Raiders stuck with Derek Carr, who remained the team’s starter for three more seasons before moving on after the 2022 season.
Davis’ comments suggest that the franchise may have missed out on a golden opportunity to land the most accomplished quarterback in league history.
Mark Davis on Tom Brady’s Role in the Raiders’ Future
Even though Brady never took the field as a Raider, his connection with the franchise has only deepened since his playing days ended. Davis explained that their relationship during free agency opened the door to a long-term partnership.
“As I got to know him through the process I let his agent know that when he was done playing, I would like him to be part of our organization,” Davis said. “I feel Tom is the one now to take this organization in the future on the football side and maybe get my failures into successes.”
Brady has since become a minority owner of the Raiders, and Davis appears confident that his competitive spirit, leadership, and football knowledge will help steer the organization in the right direction.
“Really, really happy to have him part of this organization,” Davis added. “There’s nobody more competitive. He’s really a bright person and great person to know and really selfless when you think about it.”
Brady’s Goal with the Raiders
Brady made it clear that his vision for the Raiders is rooted in discipline and hard work.
“Our goal is to, you know, win a lot of football games,” Brady said. “You’ve got to work hard at it, and it’s all earned and we’ve got a tough division. There’s a lot of good opponents we face. But it’s going to be up to the guys and their daily commitment to doing the right things.”
For Raiders fans, the idea of Brady as a player will remain a fascinating “what could have been.” But as an executive and voice in the ownership group, he may still have a significant role in shaping the franchise’s future.
Isaac Zuniga is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders. He also covers the Chicago Bears for LastWordOnSports.com. More about Isaac Zuniga
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