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After smacking the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2 of the preseason, Rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell is drawing comparisons to Tom Brady.
Speaking on Good Morning Football, NFL analyst Mike Garafolo mentioned the two quarterbacks in the same breath, saying:
"He [O'Connell] knows he's not the most mobile kind of guy, but he can get the ball out quickly a la Tom Brady, which by the way, the Raiders traded up with the Patriots to get that pick to select Aidan O'Connell. Looks like six degrees of Tom Brady on this one, but O'Connell continues to shine, proving that it's no fluke."
Tom Brady and Aidan O'Connell share one key connection
The Raiders quarterback shares one distinct connection with Tom Brady. O'Connell is learning offense from Josh McDaniels, who serves as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Interestingly, McDaniels, during his time as the offensive coordinator under Bill Belichick, also coached Tom Brady.
Jarrett Stidham and Derek Carr also have that connection. However, both quarterbacks didn't work out in the end under McDaniels. Now, Carr is a member of the New Orleans Saints, and Stidham is with Denver Broncos.
O'Connell is turning heads now, but as a backup to Jimmy Garoppolo, he could still easily follow the fate of his predecessors. Last season, both quarterbacks had their bright spots at times.
Carr threw for three touchdowns and one interception in a win over McDaniels' former head coach Bill Belichick before getting benched for Stidham. Stidham, meanwhile, walked into his first game to put up 34 points in what would be a losing effort against Kyle Shanahan's "Purdy-mobile."
Jimmy Garoppolo leaves fans bracing for O'Connell's regular-season debut
As it stands, once the final preseason game is played, it is expected for O'Connell to return to the bench behind Jimmy Garoppolo. However, with health concerns routinely plaguing the starting quarterback, O'Connell may get at least one start this season. If it happens, the comparisons to Tom Brady will get their first true test.
If any of the above quotes are used, please credit Good Morning Football and H/T Sportskeeda.
