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When Tom Brady left the New England Patriots following the 2019 NFL season, there was much speculation about where he would sign.
It was always hard to imagine Brady playing anywhere other than New England, where he dominated the NFL for two decades. He and Bill Belichick were the greatest tandem quarterback and head coach in NFL history, but all good things come to an end eventually.
With rumors swirling that his time as the starting quarterback of the Patriots had come to an end, everyone was wondering the same question. If Brady isn't playing for the Patriots, then what will he do next?
Retirement would be a solid option for most players his age, but Brady was not done with the NFL. He was ready to move on to a new situation and continue his winning ways.
Tom Brady and the Raiders?
According to a recent article on Sports Illustrated, the Raiders and Tom Brady were never a serious match. The idea for the pairing came about at a UFC event in Las Vegas when Brady had a conversation with Raiders owner Mark Davis. Nothing really came of the rumors and neither side ever truly considered the other to be the right fit. It was never anything more than a theory.
The Raiders were already previously committed to quarterback Derek Carr. He is under contract through the 2022 NFL season, making around 25 million dollars per year. Derek Carr has proven himself to be a capable quarterback. He is also much younger than Brady, so he is a more realistic candidate to be their quarterback for the next decade.
The Raiders could have sacrificed their long-term plan for a higher possibility of a Super Bowl in the near future. There is no doubt that Tom Brady is an upgrade from Derek Carr but it is completely unknown how much longer Brady has until he retires. The Raiders likely decided that Brady was not the right fit for them because they already had their quarterback situation figured out.
What made the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the right fit for Tom Brady was all of the pieces they already had in place. They were a very talented team in all positions with a great coaching staff. The only thing they were missing was a quarterback. The Buccaneers made the most sense to Brady. It proved itself to be true when they won a Super Bowl in their first season together. It was clearly the right choice.
