Once the NFL approves the sale of a minority share in the Las Vegas Raiders to Tom Brady, it should pretty much quiet any rumors about a potential return to the actual gridiron world. Then again, it might not.
In talking about Brady and whether he’ll actually unretire for a second time in as many years, Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman wouldn’t rule out the possibility.
“I don’t want speak for Tom. But I wouldn’t rule anything out,” Aikman told TMZ Sports. “I would bet that just nothing is off the table as far as what may occur during the season or what Tom’s role may be.”
Brady, 45, retired after 23 seasons in the NFL and seven Super Bowl titles. Almost immediately, the future Hall of Famer purchased a minority share in the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces from owner Mark Davis. This was a way for Brady to continue building his post-career brand in Sin City.
It was then earlier in May that Brady came to an agreement to purchase a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders. “We have come to an agreement for Tom Brady to become a partner in the Raiders and we have submitted it to the NFL for approval. We’re excited for Tom to join the Raiders,” Raiders owner Mark Davis said in a statement.
Following this announcement, it was reported that league owners could block the sale of a portion of the Raiders to Brady if he refuses to fully commit to retirement. League rules prohibit minority and/or majority owners from playing in the league. While Brady and the Raiders might try to overcome this hurdle, it could be a major sticking point.
Tom Brady career stats: 89,214 passing yards, 649 passing touchdowns, 97.2 QB rating
The possibility of Brady unretiring and joining the Raiders continues to be a talking point during an otherwise slow cycle on the NFL calendar.
More recently, the revelation that newly signed quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo underwent offseason foot surgery has added a new layer to this speculation. Garoppolo’s contract required him to sign a waiver that enables Vegas to release the veteran ahead of Week 1 with no salary ramifications.
While we’re ways away from the Garoppolo situation being settled, it must be noted that Brady was linked to the Raiders earlier in the offseason prior to retiring.
Now that the future Hall of Fame quarterback continues to make his presence known in Southern Nevada, these rumors are not going to die down between now and Week 1 in September.