Raiders owner Mark Davis has a new G.M. and a new coach. But his new football consigliere is Tom Brady.
Speaking to reporters after Monday’s press conference introducing new coach Pete Carroll and new G.M. John Spytek, Davis explained that Brady fills a void the team had since October 2021, when former coach Jon Gruden was forced out by the leak of emails he sent to former Washington executive Bruce Allen while Gruden was working for ESPN.
“Bringing in Tom Brady was bringing in somebody on the football that I had been lacking having here in the organization,” Davis said, via the video posted by the Raiders. “Back in I guess it was ’18, with Jon Gruden. He was somebody that I brought in and really expected to be that person on the football side that would bring stability to the organization. He had a 10-year contract and all that, and he had his head chopped off. And we were put in a really bad position as an organization.”
Davis also made it clear that they pivoted to Carroll “when one person made a decision to go to another team.” Davis was referring to Bears coach Ben Johnson; Davis later said that the Raiders never made Johnson an offer.
Of course, they couldn’t. Johnson wasn’t available to be offered the job until the Lions lost. Two days later, Johnson made a beeline for the Bears.
When discussing the Spytek hire, Davis mentioned that Spytek was part of the group that brought Brady to Tampa in 2020. Davis added “to my chagrin.”
Which seems to confirm the claim from UFC guru Dana White that he was trying to broker a deal to deliver Brady to the Raiders — and that Gruden was the one who killed the deal.
Now, Brady has replaced Gruden as the man on whom Davis will primarily rely on the football side. This underscores the influence Brady will have over the team.
Even though Brady won’t be able to attend most games, since he’ll be working his primary job on the days the Raiders play.
Mark Davis, the owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, recently made a bold statement about quarterback Tom Brady, saying that he fills a football role that had been vacant since Jon Gruden “had his head chopped off.”
Davis made the comment in reference to Brady’s leadership and on-field presence, comparing it to the impact Gruden had as the Raiders’ head coach before his abrupt departure. Gruden, who was known for his fiery demeanor and intense coaching style, led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory in 2002 before leaving the team in 2008.
Since then, the Raiders have struggled to find a coach who could replicate Gruden’s success and command the same level of respect from the players. That is, until Brady came along.
Brady, who signed with the Raiders in the offseason after a successful career with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has quickly become a locker room leader and a key figure in the team’s success. His work ethic, experience, and winning mentality have earned him the respect of his teammates and made him a natural choice to fill the void left by Gruden.
While the comparison between Brady and Gruden may seem unconventional, Davis believes that Brady’s impact on the team is undeniable. As the Raiders continue to push for a playoff spot, it’s clear that Brady’s presence has been a game-changer for the team, and his influence will be felt for years to come.
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Mark Davis, Tom Brady, Jon Gruden, football, NFL, quarterback, leadership, vacancy, head coach, Las Vegas Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, sports, Super Bowl champion, mentorship, team dynamics, player-coach relationship, football strategy
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