Tom Brady may be retired from playing football, but that doesn’t mean he’s done with the sport entirely.
Having brought his playing days to an end with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, the quarterback has returned to the game he gave so much to by buying a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders.
The deal is not entirely done just yet. Before Brady’s involvement can be confirmed, it still has to be approved by the other 31 owners involved in the NFL, but that’s unlikely to cause many issues. Brady’s too significant and popular a figure, and his record too clean, to pose any problems.
Why has Brady invested in the Las Vegas Raiders?
The only surprise is the choice of team to invest in. Brady grew up a fan of the San Francisco 49ers and when he briefly retired for the first time in 2021, he was said to be considering becoming a minority owner in the Miami Dolphins.
For Brady himself though the link is clear and stems back to his childhood. “I grew up in the Bay Area. My favourite team was the 49ers. The team across the bay was the Raiders. And, you know, they’re an iconic NFL franchise.”
The people involved in the team over the years were also a major draw for Brady. “When I look at a lot of the people that have impacted the NFL over a long period of time in the most positive way, Al Davis [Raiders principal owner and general manager when they were in Oakland] is one of them. And he’s not with us anymore but I’ve heard incredible stories. And then the opportunity came about to become a minority owner in the Raiders, it was a dream come true for me.”
How involved will Brady be?
Fans shouldn’t expect to see Brady actively involved with the day-to-day running of the team any time soon though. He’s currently a pundit for Fox, having signed a major 10-year deal with the broadcast thought to be worth around $375 million, and has expressed a desire to take his time and see ownerships through in the long term.
“I’ll be playing a very passive role,” he said. “This is something that I’m interested in doing for the rest of my life. This is not something that I’m into it for a year or two years.
“You know, I’ve got a lot of responsibility with my Fox job, which I take very seriously. But if I’m looking over the course of my life, to have the opportunity to be involved in the NFL is a dream come true. And if I could help the NFL and continue to contribute in a positive way, then you know, that’s been a very enjoyable part of my life.”
Brady is one of the NFL’s most decorated players. A two-team man, he spent the majority of his career with the New England Patriots, winning six Super Bowls during his time with them between 2000 and 2019.
He ended his career with a two-year stint at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he added another Super Bowl to his collection, making seven victories and ten appearances in total.
