The Las Vegas Raiders will be right in the thick of NFL Draft intrigue for the next six weeks, which means Tom Brady is again in the spotlight.
But one of Brady’s biggest supporters in sports media doesn’t think that’s such a great idea.
In the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, the Sports Guy explained why he thinks it’s “dangerous” for the Raiders to give Brady so much leeway over personnel as a part-owner of the team, particularly in an offseason where they really need a quarterback.
“I love Tom Brady. Brought me six Super Bowls, one of my favorite athletes of all time,” Simmons said before doling out a warning. “This is a dangerous thing where you have him running a football team thinking he knows what’s best with quarterbacks because he was a great quarterback. Because all of the evidence with the great players we’ve had, name the sport, mostly they’re not good at this. They think they’re seeing things that other people don’t see, and it’s not actually rational.”
The Raiders hold the sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft and had the second-most cap space in the NFL heading into the offseason. They are expected to be in on just about every quarterback available, from Sam Darnold to Shedeur Sanders.
Having the greatest quarterback ever behind the scenes for those decisions could be handy. Or, as Simmons argued, it could be a hindrance.
After all, if a scout or personnel staffer brings a different perspective on one of those QBs than Brady, we all know whose opinion will win out.
“I’m just saying it’s not a slam dunk,” Simmons explained. “Part of the problem is if you and I are in that room with Tom Brady and we were like, ‘yo man, we think Darnold, look…” and he’s like, ‘I’m out. I watched that game and he doesn’t have it, I’m out.’ Are we gonna argue with Tom Brady? It’s just now it’s this one voice that sees what he wants to see.”
No one fully knows what to expect from Brady’s next chapter. After a rough first season in the Fox broadcast booth, it’s time to see whether his legendary playing career is a positive or negative while he oversees the Raiders’ front office.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.