Seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady agreed to buy a piece of the Raiders in May 2023, but it took until October 2024 for the NFL to approve his purchase. At some point, the longtime Patriot and short-term Buccaneer asked the league about playing quarterback for the Raiders while owning part of the franchise. The league shot it down.
“I actually have inquired, and they don’t like that idea very much,” Brady revealed to CNBC Sport this week. “We explored a lot of different things, and I’m very happily retired. Let me just say that, too.”
An NFL spokesperson confirmed to CNBC it does not allow such an arrangement, saying that Brady would have had to divest his 5% ownership stake before coming out of retirement.
“In addition, there would be salary cap issues involving a player/owner,” the spokesperson added.
The NFL put this policy in place in 2023, a year after it levied punishment against the Dolphins and owner Stephen Ross for tampering with Brady. The league found that the Dolphins engaged in “impermissible communications” with Brady late in his 20-year Patriots run and during his three-season stint in Tampa Bay. Ross wanted to bring Brady aboard as a player/part-owner, but former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores blew the whistle in a 2022 racial discrimination lawsuit that is still ongoing.
Six months after Flores filed his suit against the NFL, the Dolphins, the Giants and the Broncos, the league suspended and fined Ross and Dolphins vice chairman/TB12 board member Bruce Beal. It also docked the Dolphins a first-round pick in 2023 and a third-rounder in ’24.
Brady, who came out of retirement once during his illustrious career, last played in the NFL in 2022. The soon-to-be 49-year-old participated in last weekend’s Fanatics Flag Football Classic, but he told CNBC that doing so “reconfirmed to me that I’m very happy in my retirement.” Although he is done as a player, Brady will continue to serve a key role with the Raiders and work as Fox’s lead color commentator.
Player/Owner/Broadcaster is the better title.
Just give it up man. Enough already. Just go away.
My word, what a psychopath
The guy has had work done, guess that’s helped him stay busy post-playing days
Flores went from a linebackers coach to a HC in Miami at 38. Seems like the opposite of discrimination.
He was the defensive coordinator in all but name for the Pats in his final season when they won the Super Bowl. He didn’t just jump from LB coach to HC as you’re implying.
Letting active players have ownership stakes is a change owners would fight extremely hard.
“Announcer.”
“What?”
“Player-Owner-Announcer.”
Awwww poor Brady bear awwww