For many Raiders fans it’s hard to believe that their former nemesis, NFL legend Tom Brady, is now a minority owner of the Raiders franchise.
But what if Brady became the controlling owner of the Raiders one day?
Vic Tafur of The Athletic says it’s far too early to say whether that will happen, but it’s a possible future outcome. Tafur notes that Raiders owner Mark Davis has provided a formal succession plan to the NFL, as is required, but the specifics aren’t known. Davis is the only child of Al Davis, the franchise’s late, legendary owner, and Davis is single and has no children of his own and therefore no obvious successor.
Here’s more insight from Tafur on the subject.
If he were to broadcast for the next five or six years — or even the full 10 years of his Fox contract — he could slowly learn more about the business side, particularly during the offseason when he doesn’t have broadcasting commitments. In time, as Davis suggested, that could lead to him being Davis’ so-called “football guy.” From there, he could work toward purchasing a larger stake and eventually becoming a controlling owner.
This is clearly a long-term and speculative scenario, but I agree it’s possible. In fact, it reminds me of how Al Davis himself took control of the franchise. After a successful stint as Raiders coach and AFL executive, Davis initially bought a 10 percent stake in the Raiders and gradually took control of the team.
It’s already odd for Brady to be a minority owner due to his history with the Raiders, namely the infamous Tuck Rule game in 2002 that stopped the Raiders from advancing in the playoffs and helped launch the Patriots dynasty. It seems unfathomable that he could control the Raiders one day, but pieces of that potential outcome are falling into place.
Brady and Al Davis were adversaries as professionals, but Brady has the desire to win that rivals Davis’ legendary “Just win, baby” mantra. It’s ironic, but Brady could be just what the Raiders need to become a factor in the NFL again.
That could be hard for many fans to stomach. If the franchise can win Super Bowls with Brady running the show, however, all Raiders fans would be thrilled with that scenario.
But as Tafur notes, Brady’s potential controlling ownership is many years away. In the meantime, Brady will help the Raiders find a franchise quarterback as general manager Tom Telesco and coach Antonio Pierce attempt to build a winner with Mark Davis at the helm.
