There was a common theme during Pete Carroll’s introductory press conference with the Las Vegas Raiders: Tom Brady.
Carroll referenced Brady so many times during the presser that even the 73-year-old head coach questioned if he said the quarterback’s name “too much” after a reporter noted it. But hey, if you’re going to work in the NFL, it has to feel good to have a seven-time Super Bowl champion on your side.
“When [Mark Davis] figured out how valuable it would be to put Tom Brady in this mix and bring that kind of football background in history, Mark made a great move,” Carroll boasted. “And it’s our job to celebrate that for Mark and to make sure this comes to life the way it can. The great possibilities and great future and immediate future as well.”
#RAIDERS HC Pete Carroll speaks about the hiring process Mark Davis and his group had, including how valuable Tom Brady is. #RAIDERNATION pic.twitter.com/oQ4fr47A2O
— Harry Ruiz (@harryruiz) January 27, 2025
Mark Davis envisioned bringing Tom Brady on as a minority owner of the Raiders. Fox had a similar vision when they gave Brady a $375 million contract to be their lead NFL analyst. Brady will try to do both, but it’s appearing increasingly more difficult as we learn how much of a role the Raiders expect him to have in their franchise. Prior to the Carroll hire, Dianna Russini reported Brady “is running everything in Vegas” And Carroll’s press conference did little to counter that report.
“It’s our mission to build this football team up around the quarterback position. This isn’t the only spot,” Carroll said. “We happen to have the greatest of all time to help us and to see clearly, and we’re going to lean on Tom as much as we possibly can for his insights because nobody has the insights that he has. He’s that unique.”
Carroll said working with Brady is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” adding that he has been “intricately involved” with the franchise.
That’s all fine. The Raiders have Brady on their side, and they’re doing everything they can to see if he can bring some of his historical on-field success to their front office. What does that mean for his Fox gig? Brady insists he plans on seeing his 10-year contract with Fox through. But even without conflict of interest concerns, answering the demands of Fox and the Raiders seems like a tall task.
