Earlier this week, it was revealed that legendary quarterback Tom Brady was joining the Las Vegas Raiders organization as a minority team owner. Coincidentally, the news broke the same week that it was revealed that Jimmy Garoppolo had foot surgery and wouldn’t be back with the team until at least training camp.
Naturally, news of Garoppolo’s injury coupled with Tom Brady joining the team in some capacity led to speculation that Brady could come out of retirement to play for the Raiders if Garoppolo can’t play due to his injury. While that’s not impossible, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal explains that it’s not exactly likely, either.
“Interestingly, a league source raised the possibility that Brady’s approval by fellow owners could come with the provision that he is fully retired. If so, that eliminates the possibility of him trying to simultaneously own a piece of the franchise while also playing for it,” Bonsignore wrote for the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Saturday afternoon.
But even without that provision, Brady would still need approval from the league owners before coming out of retirement, or he would have to sell his shares of the team.
“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,” Bonsignore continued. “Without approval, Brady would have to sell back his share of the Raiders before he could return to the field.”
It’s certainly a tricky situation, and it got the NFL world talking this week.
https://twitter.com/mrElite_83/status/1662638367199076352?s=20
Jimmy G right now pic.twitter.com/GAqoYPSPIp
— Nick Pappageorgio (@Richie8799) May 28, 2023
Raiders might be a playoff contender, but they are not the right team for @TomBrady at age 46
The AFC is too tough & KC is in that division
He made a great decision to go to the NFC
Look at Belichick winning nothing and the irrelevant Pats after Tom left— MZiegelheim (@pastposttime) May 28, 2023
Brady is finish for good let’s stop speculating this rumors 😝
— Johnny Gomez (@johnnysfgiants) May 28, 2023
It’s gonna happen , I’ll put money on it https://t.co/dA0QIVhD8x
— JR (@Idaho_Raiders) May 26, 2023
If Jimmy’s foot isn’t ready he might be needed https://t.co/OdCPezgDrk
— Kenny King Jr (@KennyKing_Jr) May 25, 2023
It’s certainly not impossible Brady still returns, but it isn’t exactly simple anymore.
