On Tuesday, the NFL approved Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis’ 10.5 percent sale of a minority stake in the franchise to Tom Brady, Brady’s business partner Tom Wagner and Richard Seymour. Brady and Wagner will own five percent apiece, and Seymour gets .5 percent.
Brady released a statement on joining the organization as part owner, and on Wednesday, he received a warm welcome at the team facility:
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Based on Davis’ comments following the sale, Brady will influence the direction of the franchise going forward, which happens at a time when the team is headed toward another rebuild in 2025. Davis understands that he doesn’t have the football expertise to make crucial decisions without the advice and help of someone or a counsel with a better understanding of the game and its players.
Therefore, expect Davis to lean on Brady, who played the game for 23 years and won seven Super Bowls as a part of a football dynasty before joining Fox Sports as a game-day analyst.
So what does that mean for the upcoming offseason? Let’s look at a few scenarios in which Brady’s input can impact the Raiders’ rebuild.
Tom Brady may attend head coaching interviews if Antonio Pierce is fired
For now, Pierce is the Raiders head coach, but he shouldn’t get too comfortable in that position. The Raiders’ minus-nine-point differential is tied for 27th leaguewide. Las Vegas has been outscored by an average of 17.5 points over the last two weeks.
If the Raiders aren’t competitive for most of their remaining games, Pierce could be fired at the end of the season. Pierce’s inexperience and poor choice of an offensive coordinator in Luke Getsy may cost him his job.
Yes, the Raiders have key injuries on offense and traded wideout Davante Adams to the New York Jets, but they struggled to move the ball with most of their personnel healthy and active through September. The Raiders’ brain trust must think long-term about the coaching staff with a specific question in mind. Can these coaches develop a young offensive core?
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In all likelihood, the Raiders will draft a quarterback, wide receiver, and running back at some point in the 2025 draft. If they’re not confident in Pierce fielding a competitive team or his staff helping those players progress, the team may bring in a new coaching staff under general manager Tom Telesco.
According to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed, Richard Seymour sat in on the Raiders’ interviews with candidates for the general manager and head coach positions, which may be something we see with Brady in the future.
“Seymour played for the Raiders from 2009 to 2012, which included the franchise’s last years under the late Al Davis and son Mark’s first full season as controlling owner,” Reed wrote. “Seymour had a relationship with both father and son. This past offseason, he was on the interview panel that helped hire general manager Tom Telesco and coach Antonio Pierce.
“Brady could eventually be involved, as well.”
Pierce may be able to preserve his job by firing Getsy, but that’s not guaranteed as the team struggles to stay competitive, losing all four of its games by 12 or more points.
Mark Davis wants Tom Brady’s input on the quarterback situation
The Raiders know they must find a franchise quarterback. In 2025, the team will have to do a lot of homework for the incoming class, and Davis thinks Brady can help.
Davis profoundly respects Brady’s football mind and is open to the future Hall of Famer’s input on the quarterback situation. Brady doesn’t have a background as a talent evaluator or scout, but he can certainly help a young quarterback train, prepare, and keep his body in great condition to perform on game days.
The Las Vegas Raiders will likely (and should) leave the bulk of talent evaluation to the general manager and scouting department, but it can help to have Brady’s input with his knowledge of the game.
Tom Brady could sell new organizational vision to veterans during free-agent visits
Because of Brady’s stake in the Raiders, he must abide by certain restrictions as a Fox Sports analyst to avoid conflict of interest. Nonetheless, as part owner of the Raiders, Brady could influence free agency, specifically when players come to the team’s facility for a visit.
Remember, when teams host players for free-agent visits, it’s a time to sell the organization’s plan to the player. Typically, front-office executives and head coaches have time to speak with top-tier veterans who may have multiple offers. Brady could be part of that group.
Davis told reporters that he envisions Brady taking on a role with football operations, though he cannot offer him an official title because of his equity in the team.
“Although Davis said it would be ‘“putting the cart before the horse”’ to define a role for Brady at this point, he did indicate the future Hall of Famer could have a significant role in football operations,”Tashan Reed of The Athletic wrote.
Whether the fanbase likes it or not, Brady will be involved in organizational decisions moving forward, and he may have a prominent voice.
The Raiders have struggled through a cycle of rebuilds over the last two decades. Clearly, Davis is trying to get all the help he can, in this case from someone who’s invested in the team, to get the franchise back to its winning ways. He hopes that Brady’s success as a player can revitalize the organization.
Maurice Moton covers the Raiders for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.