Tom Brady enters a new world
This is an entirely different challenge than 28-3 in a Super Bowl. But for Brady and the beleaguered Las Vegas Raiders? This week represented an overdue jolt of life.
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Tom Brady was closing in on his 10th Super Bowl appearance. There were no more demons to slay. Nobody else to prove wrong.
Yet those who knew the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback best back in San Mateo, Calif., knew better.
Ahead of the Bucs’ 31-9 Super Bowl butchery of the Kansas City Chiefs, we tried to figure out what on earth compels a middle-aged man to repeatedly re-climb the NFL’s 365-day mountain. Brady had a supermodel wife who made more money than him, three kids, houses all over the country and — in a 2020 world where Americans couldn’t agree on anything — everyone agreed Tom Brady was the greatest football player ever.
Winning a ring without the assistance of Bill Belichick was a motivator. But, in truth, his drive ran deeper. Patrick Walsh, the head coach at Serra High School, noted that his friend referenced something else.
Two full decades later, Brady told Walsh he was still fuming over falling to Pick No. 199 in the NFL Draft.
“He is still pissed off about that,” Walsh said. “He has an internal desire that is obviously rare. … You would think he’s one of those guys who has everything. But he’s going to squeeze the orange and get the most out of it he can, until he can’t do it anymore.”
His first-ever No. 1 wide receiver at the JV and Varsity level, John Kirby, added that Brady was still fueled by his standing as a seventh-stringer at Michigan and third-string with the Patriots. “He makes it to the top of the mountain,” Kirby said, “and Tommy still wants more.”
Which brings us to life in retirement. Once the cheering stops, it’s impossible for so many of the sport’s average joes to civilize. Traditional 9-to-5 jobs, devoid of that Sunday adrenaline rush, can feel more like a prison. I always wondered how an all-time psycho like Brady could possibly survive on the oxygen the rest of us breathe outside of a football stadium. He won a championship in Tampa Bay, returned for two more seasons, lost his wife in the process, retired, inked a $375 million broadcasting deal with Fox and, naturally, yearned for more.
In the Las Vegas Raiders, Tom Brady found his fix.
On paper, he owns a 5 percent stake in the franchise.
In reality, his fingerprints are all over the actual football.
Mark Davis, the principal owner, isn’t like his renegade father. There’s no “Just Win Baby!” aura, no edicts to select JaMarcus Russell No. 1 overall, no projector screens used to lambast Lane Kiffin. Instead, he puts his trust in others to make the correct football decisions. That sounds like smart practice for all billionaire owners… until you look up and see Davis is still paying four head coaches who aren’t in town anymore. The silver and black have come to epitomize NFL dysfunction.
Enter, Brady. A legend. He purchased his stake in the team for $220 million in October ‘24 and then lured John Spytek to town as general manager. The two were teammates at Michigan. As Brady’s first quarterback decision backfired — on the NFL’s grandest stage — another GOAT might’ve been watching on with a stogie in his hand. Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever. Michael Jordan as an NBA owner? Worse than a 13-year-old on NBA 2K3. His trademark competitiveness never waned. This remains one of my all-time favorite Wright Thompson stories. But Jordan is living proof that snatching souls as a transcendent athlete guarantees nothing in this seat.
MJ ran the Charlotte Hornets into the ground.
This week, Tom Brady learned again that he’s navigating completely new terrain.
With one failed physical, the Baltimore Ravens kiboshed the Maxx Crosby trade. No tin-foil caps are required — this all reeks. We’ll get to this trade that collapsed, too. But, to me, the Las Vegas Raiders are the story of free agency. They entered this March madness with the NFL’s worst roster and a treasure trove of cap space. Granted, they’re still a team fighting for third place in its own division. Tops. But an organization that’s been nothing but a sad punchline is finally registering a pulse.
Consider this week something like Brady beating out Damon Huard and Michael Bishop for the No. 2 job behind Drew Bledsoe. A start.
Center Tyler Linderbaum was the best non-QB available in free agency and Vegas paid the necessary dysfunction tax for his services. In Kwity Paye, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, Taron Johnson and Jalen Nailor, a 3-14 team spent money on prideful, physically tough players. Most impressive may be how the Raiders are currently handling an impossible situation. When the Ravens bailed on Crosby, they didn’t rescind their verbal agreements with free agents to clear cap. Spytek was true to his word. And unless another team’s willing to give you exactly what you requested — two first-rounders — you keep Crosby. You do not flinch.
Loading up on draft capital would’ve been lovely for this team at this time, but the Raiders can also do much worse than an absurdly motivated Mad Maxx.
All on the heels of hiring Klint Kubiak as head coach.
All on the verge of selecting Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall.
The Indiana quarterback should feel good about his first NFL destination, and that’s not something top picks can usually say.
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All 32 teams knew Crosby was recovering from a torn meniscus. This was no secret. Before agreeing to the trade, the Ravens undoubtedly reviewed all imaging, all medical records. Barring a total revelation, gamesmanship is at play. After the initial 24-hour wave of legal tampering passed, Trey Hendrickson remained available and the Ravens pivoted. The Ravens managed to find a new pass rusher and keep their ‘26 and ‘27 first-round picks.
Here’s another way to put it. If the Ravens were hypothetically trading a third-round pick, would they fail Crosby’s physical? Hard to imagine.
Of note, the Ravens had never traded a first-round pick for a veteran player in their 31 years of existence.
Crosby flew back to Las Vegas to rehab his knee and it appears the Raiders have no plans to trade him.
Netting two firsts is a longshot now. Teams that would’ve traded for Crosby and accommodated his contract made other moves. Thirty-two teams means 32 different team doctors. Another physical could pose another problem. Even after their shopping spree, the Raiders have room. Nor is his contract astronomical. Since inking an extension worth $35.5 million per year, the edge market has continued to soar. Five players now make more than Crosby, led by Micah Parsons at $46.5 million.
He turns 29 years old in August and still has four years left on his deal.
These talent-barren Raiders need premium draft picks, but it also doesn’t hurt to possess one of the NFL’s most diabolical workers with every incentive to rehab and wreck offenses. This whole rift between Crosby and the Raiders began back when they were eyeing a No. 1 pick and he simply wanted to play football.
“Any time a season goes that way,” one Raiders coach on that staff told us, “you have to make decisions at the end — who’s playing and who’s not playing. Maxx wants to play. To sit back and tell him he can’t? That’s not going to go over well.”
Now, the two sides need each other.
Amid the hailstorm, agent C.J. LaBoy said Crosby is on track to return for the offseason program and “will undoubtedly return as the dominant game wrecker he has been these past 7 seasons.” Crosby himself took to X to declare “I’m a Raider” and “Run That Sh*t,” with a GIF of The Undertaker, a post that’s been viewed 7.2 million times.
Al Davis was the epitome of paranoia. He believed the NFL was always out to get him.
Back to leaked emails prompting the resignation of Gruden in 2021, his son could also feel that way. The Raiders were objectively screwed this week, but that shouldn’t distract from the fact that no team improved more.
Landing Linderbaum is massive. Baltimore offered $22M/year, per The Athletic. The New York Giants could offer the John Harbaugh connection, but likely didn’t touch this figure. No way did anybody else come close to offering $27.5 million per year. Bad teams must go full Don Corleone and make prized free agents offers they cannot refuse. Who cares? This is a win-win. Linderbaum capitalized on a quirk in the CBA to reset the center market by 50 (!) percent. The Ravens didn’t slap the franchise tag on him since his tag would’ve been the average of the top five offensive linemen, period. Beyond centers. Good on Linderbaum to earn every dime he possibly can and skyrocket the market.
Of his $81 million, a cool $60 million was guaranteed at signing. By Year 3, at $21M, he can seek a raise. By then, Raiders hope to be a team above .500 dreaming big.
In a roundabout way, Kubiak now has pillars on offense (Linderbaum) and defense (Crosby) to set a cultural tone.
The more I talk to former GMs, the more I like this needle Spytek is trying to thread.
On paper, it’s tempting to flood your roster with 22- and 23-year olds who haven’t been corrupted by other teams. On paper, it’s enticing for a new GM to view a 53-man roster as 53 balls of clay. However, one GM who failed deeply regrets thinking this way. Looking back, he wishes he didn’t rely so heavily on a youth movement. His roster was soon rebuilding in perpetuity. Veterans are needed to raise the floor and set an example. It’s easier to bring rookies along when there’s no need to juggle a dozen things at one. Off of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl win, he pointed to Jalen Hurts as an extreme example. He was eased in. He wasn’t asked to decode and dissect right away.
There’s a fine line between a veteran still in his prime and a recycled retread. The Raiders tilted too far the wrong direction last season with the likes of Devin White (1,118 snaps), Elandon Roberts (654), Jamal Adams (448), Raheem Mostert (137), Tyler Lockett (308) playing far more than they should.
Walker and Dean are two violent, still-ascending 25-year-old linebackers.
Paye, a former first-rounder, should benefit from Crosby attracting attention.
Nailor is a gritty receiver who doesn’t dodge the dirty work.
The Raiders and Tennessee Titans spent a combined half-billion dollars the first 48 hours of free agency but if you’re not spending, you’re also not trying. Denver was one freak Bo Nix injury away from potentially playing in the Super Bowl. The L.A. Chargers nailed the most important assistant coaching hire of the offseason in Mike McDaniel at OC, while also boosting their offensive personnel. Love the Charlie Kolar and Keaton Mitchell signings. And the 3-time champs, the Kansas City Chiefs, return with revenge on the mind. They added Kenneth Walker III, a Super Bowl MVP.
An identity is needed. Las Vegas couldn’t afford to sit idly by.
Linderbaum will take a ton off Mendoza’s plate at the line of scrimmage. With all protection calls falling on the center’s shoulders, he’ll help slow everything down for the rookie. In the run game, no center moves like the athletic 6-foot-2, 305-pounder. He should be able to spring Ashton Jeanty to the second and third levels — the Boise State back averaged a paltry 1.6 yards before contact as a rookie, 47th in the NFL. Amongst ball-carriers with at least 100 carries, only Chris Rodriguez (1.5) Quinshon Judkins (1.4) had less room to run.
He didn’t come cheap, but this center directly maximizes the Raiders’ back-to-back draft investments. Kubiak’s expertise lies in a diversified run game, too.
This new regime’s structure was too rickety in ’25. A concern.
During Super Bowl Week, we reported on the quarterback mess. Once the Matthew Stafford ship sailed, Carroll and the coaches preferred the younger Sam Darnold and Brady wanted Geno Smith. So, the Raiders went all-in on Smith. Understandably, Davis has granted all quarterback authority to the greatest quarterback in league history. In addition to this, one ex-Raiders coach told us that Brady was behind the team drafting North Dakota State’s Cam Miller in the sixth round.
“I don’t know how much say he has in everything,” this coach said, “but he did have a say in everything.”
Brady was the one who wanted Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator — not Carroll — and the intrusion blew up in the Raiders’ face. His scheme was antiquated by modern NFL standards. Today’s NFL is a totally different world than the one Kelly set on fire as the Eagles’ head coach in 2013.
“It was probably harder than you think to make that transition — maybe harder,” this coach said. “It’s a totally different game.
“The way you call the plays are different. Obviously, he’s been known for his tempo. It’s almost a little bit like Philly. How much do we get under center with this guy? The league is more under center with play-action on normal downs. In college, there’s teams that never take a snap under center. They don’t even do their victory formation under center. Tying that all together is a little different.”
Worst of all, the Raiders lacked talent. Kelly’s Eagles team 12 years prior included three potential Hall of Famers on the offensive line: Jason Peters, Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce. This coach chuckles. No, this was not the case for their ‘25 offense.
In ’26, the best-case scenario for the Raiders this season may be 7-10 or 8-9.
In ’27, perhaps it’s the playoffs.
In ’28, perhaps more.
Easier said than done. The last time the Raiders won the AFC West, American Idol was in Season 1, Caitlin Clark was just born and, yes, Al Davis’ team was objectively hosed by the infamous “Tuck Rule.” NFL Rule 3, Section 22, Article 2, Note 2 stated that if a quarterback loses possession while attempting to “tuck” the ball back toward his body, it’s an incomplete pass. Not a fumble. An absurd rule that killed off those Oakland Raiders in the AFC divisional round and launched the career of a 24-year-old quarterback named Tom Brady.
Now, Brady’s a Raider. Maybe the man who set a curse on this franchise is the only person who can lift it. Does Brady have one more storybook plot twist in him?
This job isn’t anything like his old job. He might go full MJ on these Raiders.
There’s also the obvious conflict of interest with his Fox job.
Bare minimum, this team deserves warrants our attention. That’s all the Las Vegas Raiders could ask for right now.
We certainly know that one man in charge — Brady — will carefully document all receipts.
Brady appears to be in over his head in not one, but two jobs.
In broadcasting where the perception of objectivity is important, he has the massive irreconcilable conflict with being an active hands-on owner of the Raiders. I can see how the ratings-conscious team owners (and commish) allowed it because it's Tom Brady (i.e. God), but it's going to be increasingly untenable for the media and more importantly the fans. And Brady's reputation is going to suffer for it ultimately.
In team ownership, where the bond of trust between coaches and players must be airtight, the looming presence of God overseeing all major decisions will be disruptive and constantly unsettling for all. His decision to be hands-on is going to be his downfall because the players and coaches won't know who's making or questioning decisions.
If he had picked one job or the other, he might have been able to adjust. But doing both together will blow up in his face sooner rather than later.