Raiders owner recalls almost signing Tom Brady before Jon Gruden vetoed move for now-retired QB

Tom Brady bought a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2024. However, Brady was close to joining the Raiders as a quarterback in 2020, when he became a free agent after leaving the New England Patriots.

In an interview shared on the Raiders' YouTube channel on Wednesday, team owner Mark Davis recalled the time he wanted to sign Brady, but then-head coach Jon Gruden and General Manager Mike Mayock decided to stick with Derek Carr.

“He (Brady) was supposed to be here in 2020,” Davis said. “That’s when our relationship started, in 2020, when he was a free agent, and we talked to him about coming here to play quarterback. Obviously, it was a tough decision; he was close to coming here, but the head coach and general manager decided they wanted to go in a different direction.

"So, we didn’t sign him, but as I got to know him through that process, I let his agent know that when he was done playing, I would like him to be a part of our organization.”

Brady went on to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 offseason. He helped them win a Super Bowl in his first year.

Brady retired from the NFL in February 2023. He left the league as one of the greatest to ever grace it, having won seven Super Bowls, the most by any player in NFL history.

Tom Brady heaps praise on Raiders HC Pete Carroll entering 2025 NFL season

NFL: Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady - Source: Imagn

Tom Brady has heaped praise on Raiders coach Pete Carroll heading into the 2025 season.

“Pete’s really done a tremendous job, like a lot of coaches with veteran experience are able to do,” Brady said on his "Pro-Football Focus" show on Monday. “They run a real program. Nothing really surprises them. Pete has had a tremendous record of success when he was at Seattle, obviously, when he was at USC. He’s a tremendous coach and leader.”

The Raiders hired Carroll in January. Las Vegas finished the 2024 season with a 4-13 record.

Carroll won the Super Bowl as the Seattle Seahawks' coach in 2014. He will aim to achieve similar success with the Raiders.

The Raiders open their 2025 season on the road against the New England Patriots on Sunday.