When news broke in late May that Tom Brady had reached an agreement to become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, many NFL observers assumed it was a small, token share.
Apparently, the legendary quarterback’s ownership stake will be more significant than anyone realized. Pro Football Talk reported late Friday that a source with knowledge of the pending deal said that, “Brady is believed to be buying something more than a ceremonial sliver of the Raiders.”
Many people had assumed Brady’s ownership share of the Raiders amounted to something of a hobby meant to supplement his “day job” starting in 2024 as an NFL analyst with Fox Sports. But if the report is true, he may have more responsibility — and higher expectations — in his ownership role.
Of course, Brady’s deal with Raiders owner Mark Davis still must be approved by NFL owners.
According to a recent report, there might be a sticking point in that approval process. Owners reportedly want to assure that Brady cannot come back and play for the Raiders as a part-owner.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported May 27 that Brady would not be able to come back and play if he has an ownership interest.
“If, for argument’s sake, the sale goes through without provisions and Brady opts at some point to come out of retirement to play again, doing so would require approval by the owners. That stipulation about playing applies to every owner, from Jerry Jones to Stan Kroenke,” the report noted. “Without approval, Brady would have to sell back his share of the Raiders before he could return to the field.”
As athlete’s salaries have skyrocketed in recent years, many stars have sought out pro sports ownership opportunities. For example, earlier this year, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes became part of the Kansas City Royals ownership group.
