It was announced last year that decorated quarterback Tom Brady would be a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. Although Brady’s equity is only about 10 percent, owner Mark Davis said the future Hall of Famer would have important input.
Davis said they hadn’t defined anything specific about Brady’s role with the Raiders organization, but did say that while he can’t play, Brady could help the team select and train a quarterback in the future. It’s beneficial across the board.
Mark Davis on his new partner Tom Brady. pic.twitter.com/8yRZe7rH05
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 15, 2024
What Brady did over two decades in the NFL can’t be repeated. If he uses his particular mindset to find a successor in the Raiders’ pocket, they’ll have to be special.
The quarterback situation has been the biggest question for Vegas over the last two seasons. A replacement is a huge need. The search is on.
Let’s start with the skills.
Brady had an impressive ability to identify the open man a quick second sooner than most. He also delivered under pressure, which is why he has seven Super Bowl rings — he had the ability to perform in high-leverage situations.
One thing that also was impressive was the way that he didn’t do too much. Both in-game scenarios and performing beyond his abilities.
His throwing abilities were unique as well. A lot of quarterbacks made their names based on their abilities to throw long, down the field. While he had the capabilities, he was more precise with his short and intermediate passes.
At the moment, the Raiders would hold the No. 5 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. That puts them on the trajectory to land a quarterback, like Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. He’s one of the most exciting prospects in the draft and the son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders.
Shedeur can quickly release out of the pocket and pick defenses apart. The way he moves his bottom half and not needing to rush the ball as much could intrigue Brady.
If the Raiders do go the draft route, it’s doubtful Brady will lean too hard into the scouting reports. Scouts and media members didn’t exactly love him during his draft class.
One scout told NFL analyst Rick Gosselin, “Awful. Not even on my board. Weak. He’ll make somebody a good husband or a good medical salesman.”
However, other quarterback-hungry teams could pick before the Raiders, like the New York Giants; New York — desperate to upgrade from Daniel Jones — would currently pick second in the 2025 NFL Draft.
If you go on a deep dive into Brady announcing the minority ownership and seeing Shedeur liking the Instagram announcement, knowing how small the NFL world is, and, well, it’s Prime Time and the Greatest of All Time, there’s always going to be a connection. Plus, speculation.
