Tom Brady in Talks to Be Owner of NFL Franchise
Tom Brady could be a minority owner of an NFL team very soon. According to Seth Wickersham and Adam Schefter of ESPN, the seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback is in talks to become a limited partner of the Las Vegas Raiders. The discussions have been going on for weeks and could be finalized soon. If Brady becomes a limited partner, his investment is expected to be "passive," and he would not have any operational control or authority over the club in football or business matters.
This news comes two months after Brady announced that he had purchased a stake in the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA. The Aces are partially owned by Mark Davis, who is also the majority owner of the Raiders. If Brady and Davis agree to a deal concerning the Raiders, at least 24 current team owners would have to vet and approve Brady's limited partnership.
NFL legend Tom Brady is in deep discussions to become a limited partner of the Las Vegas Raiders, sources tell ESPN’s @SethWickersham and me, potentially his second foray into a partnership with Raiders’ owner Mark Davis on a professional sports franchise in less than two months. pic.twitter.com/pVnxqwTrGT
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 12, 2023
Brady has reportedly shown interest in owning an NFL team before talking to the Raiders. In 2021, and 2022, Brady had discussions with the Miami Dolphins about becoming a limited partner. The NFL investigated the Dolphins for six months and found that team owner Stephen Ross and vice chairman/limited partner Bruce Beal violated the anti-tampering policy for the discussions with Brady, and the team was stripped of its first-round pick in last month's NFL Draft.
Brady announced his retirement from the NFL back in February after playing 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Shortly after the 2021 season, Brady retired from the league only to return 41 days later. If Brady becomes part of the Raiders' ownership, he is not expected to play for the team.
In January, Brady spoke to AARP and was asked if retirement is overrated. "Retirement is a scary word," he said. "I mean, you're not retiring from life. So, when I am done with football, I believe I have many chapters to write. You've got to keep your mind busy. You've got to keep your body active. You've got to keep your spirit active. You've got to do things you enjoy doing with people you enjoy doing them with."