Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis says seven times Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady will have “a huge voice” in the organization’s immediate and long-term future.
But because of Brady’s broadcast obligations, when his voice will be heard with the Raiders is another matter entirely. And sources believe the timing surrounding Brady’s second career could potentially complicate head coach Antonio Pierce’s choice and subsequent search for his replacement.
Speaking at league meetings last week, Davis did not answer any questions about the future of Pierce, who is 2-12 in his first year as permanent head coach. But questions were raised across the league about whether Pierce would be a one-and-done coach after a season filled with disappointment.
Brady, who officially became part owner of the Raiders this fall, is in his first year as Fox’s top color commentator. Davis has yet to define Brady’s full role on the team, out of respect for Brady’s job. And with Fox broadcasting this year’s Super Bowl, Davis said Brady won’t be fully involved with the team until after the game in mid-February.
“When Tom was hired, I promised Fox that we would not interfere with Tom’s work and that he would be one of the best announcers in the game,” Davis said last week during meetings in Irving, Washington. Texas. “Whatever he does with the Raiders will be in the future, if that happens. Obviously, I talk to him all the time and his contribution is greatly appreciated and always will be. We’ll see over time how his role is evolving here. But he’s very excited about it. But again, we respect his obligations to Fox.
When asked if that meant Brady would have no role on the team until the Super Bowl, Davis replied: “I don’t know if you can do it that way, but obviously with them having the Super Bowl, that gives him two extra weeks where he’ll be totally tied to Fox. So I guess that’s the answer.”
The Raiders’ season will end on January 5 against the Chargersand Super Bowl LIX will be played on February 9. If Davis chooses to leave Pierce, his promise to the broadcast partner could conflict with the head coach search timeline.
Under Pierce, the Raiders failed to build on last season’s thrilling finish when Pierce took over as interim coach, winning five of nine games and winning the hearts of the players and the job. -even without much external research.
Davis then grouped Pierce with former Chargers general manager Tom Telesco, choosing a veteran personnel leader to match the new head coach. The team signed Gardner Minshew during the offseason, but couldn’t find a trade for a difference-making quarterback in the draft.
After a pre-season where neither Minshew nor Aidan O’Connell parting ways, Pierce went with the veteran Minshew to start the season. Minshew would be benched several times throughout the season.
Nine games into the year, Pierce fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, offensive line coach James Cregg and quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello, all of whom were hired by Pierce in the offseason. Interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner has been rumored to be a candidate to join Bill Belichick at UNC, which, if true, would lead the Raiders to their fifth offensive coordinator since the start of the 2023 season.
And before Sunday’s match against Jaguarthe Raiders have lost 10 straight games, the longest streak in the NFL. Along the way, there was a divorce with the All-Pro receiver Davante Adamsa meeting of players and staff on the more effective and questionable game management decisions highlighted by the Black Friday loss to the Chefs. Eight of their 12 losses came by more than one possession.
But Davis, as well as several sources around the Raiders, emphasized that despite the season’s lows, the team hasn’t given up on Pierce. The players always play hard under the guidance of their head coach.
“I will say the one thing this team has done is fight hard every game, they fight hard,” Davis said. “That’s something you don’t find all the time when things aren’t as good as you’d like. It’s positive in the way this team responded.”
Davis said Pierce and Telesco would be evaluated separately because “they didn’t come as a team,” which many interpreted to mean Telesco’s job is safe as he continues to build the roster after years of several failures among the top 100 draft picks.
Leaving Pierce and hiring a new head coach would mean Davis would pay a total of three head coaches and two general managers. There is still time and money remaining on the contracts of Pierce, former head coach Josh McDaniels and former general manager Dave Ziegler.
But a source was quick to point out that Davis recently received a cash infusion. Davis executed a series of deals this fall that sold nearly 25 percent of the Raiders to various co-owners, including Brady, and he received hundreds of millions of dollars in the process.
After nearly two years of trying, Brady finally got approval for his candidacy for a piece of the Raiders in October. He agreed to a number of rules regarding his television work, including restrictions on Saturday production meetings and access to team facilities. And while there is a regulation prohibiting owners from being team employees, he also promised the NFL that he would not forgo his retirement.
An NFL source confirmed there are no league rules prohibiting Brady from participating in any potential search for the Raiders while he performs his broadcast duties.
Brady will be instrumental in choosing the quarterback of the future for the Raiders, who are in the running for the top pick in April’s draft.
“I want Tom to have a huge voice. There’s no doubt about that,” Davis said. “It’s part of building the infrastructure of the organization, which we didn’t have…a football player on that side who’s not a coach or a general manager, but someone who can oversee the whole picture. And I believe that Tom, in time, will be the person who can do that.
“He has a great ability to communicate on a level that people can understand without trying to speak. I’m excited and truly grateful that he’s a part of the Raiders organization.”