It’s been 114 days since Tom Brady announced his retirement from football. On the flip side, it’s another 104 days till the new NFL season kicks off in September. Now Brady may have definitely shut the door on a possible comeback to the league. However, there is ample time for him to reconsider. Specifically, his new responsibilities as a minority owner may push him down the path that fans have been so eagerly waiting for.
Newly acquired Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will miss the Raiders OTAs because of a foot injury. And while there is time for recovery, in the situation that he can’t start the season opener against Denver, Josh McDaniels has to send a QB in to replace him. Well, he can choose the replacement either from the sidelines or from the owner’s box.
Is Tom Brady going to step in as Raiders QB1?
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Former San Francisco 49ers QB and Brady’s backup from New England, Jimmy Garoppolo underwent left foot surgery in March after signing with the Raiders. As per McDaniels, the passer will miss the team’s OTAs and his recovery timeline is uncertain. This undoubtedly led NFL experts to assume a certain minority owner of the franchise to step in. Aka Tom Brady.
“If there is a quarterback spot open on Week 1 and Jimmy G can’t go, hey, just come on down from the owner’s box. And then it’s the Super Bowl. And guess where the Super Bowl is being played? Las Vegas. Hey,” Chris Brockman proposed on the Rich Eisen Show.
Brady previously attained success in the very first year of his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And Raiders Nation certainly can’t help but get excited at the prospect of that happening. However, what does the rules of ownership state?
Did Tom Brady block his comeback with his NFL ownership plans?
While Raiders Nation and the NFL experts yearn for a TB12 comeback, the NFL’s most winning quarterback may have inadvertently shut the door to that possibility. And no, this is not about his daughter, Vivian’s pet kitten.
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According to NFL rules, part-owners cannot play a ‘dual role’ as a player without the permission of the rest of the 31 team owners. And it’s very unlikely that other franchises will allow the arguable GOAT of the game to suit up for a rival team. Looks as though TB12 will have to be content only with his investment partnership with the $5.1 billion Raiders franchise.
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“This could actually mean that Tom Brady is definitely retired and not coming back. Cause I don’t think you’re allowed to be an owner and an active player,” Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce hypothesized on his podcast after the ownership news came out.
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Is a comeback off the table for Brady? Or does the 15x Pro Bowler plan to take a page out of former teammate Antonio Brown’s playbook and play for the team he owns?
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