Tom Brady is no longer playing professional football, but he is staying close to the NFL as he will be a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. And while it might seem surprising to see Brady invest in a team like the Raiders, it might be a perfect fit for the seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback. In an interview with the Associated Press, Brady explained why he wanted to be part of the Raiders ownership.
“I grew up in the Bay Area. My favorite team was the 49ers. The team across the bay was the Raiders,” Brady explained. “And, you know, they’re an iconic NFL franchise. When I look at a lot of the people that have impacted the NFL over a long period of time in the most positive way, (former Raiders owner and GM) Al Davis is one of them. And he’s not with us anymore but I’ve heard incredible stories. And then the opportunity came about to become a minority owner in the Raiders, it was a dream come true for me.”
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Brady also talked about his role as a Raiders minority owner. “I’ll be playing a very passive role. This is something that I’m interested in doing for the rest of my life. This is not something that I’m into it for a year or two years. You know, I’ve got a lot of responsibility with my Fox job, which I take very seriously. But if I’m looking over the course of my life, to have the opportunity to be involved in the NFL is a dream come true.”
During his NFL career, Brady played against the Raiders six times and lost to them only once. In those six matchups, Brady threw for 1,647 yards, 12 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Some could argue it was the Raiders that helped Brady become an NFL legend as he led the New England Patriots to a win over the Raiders in a controversial playoff game during the 2001 season. Brady and the Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl that year before winning five more titles in the next 17 years. Brady left the Patriots after the 2019 season and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. During the 2020 season, Brady led the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl win in 18 years.