Analysis
8/20/22
2 min read
Dana White, Gronkowski Claim Tom Brady was Almost a Raider
Was Tom Brady almost a member of the Las Vegas Raiders?
According to UFC President Dana White, he was personally involved in a move that would've brought both Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.
In an interview Saturday night on "UFC 278 with The Gronks," White said that former Raiders coach Jon Gruden "blew the deal up and said that he didn't want him" due to his belief in Derek Carr. He noted that the deal was far enough along that Brady had been looking for houses in the area.
Gronkowski confirmed, saying "that's exactly what happened."
Dana White says Brady and Gronk ➡️ Raiders "was almost a done deal." 😳 #UFC278 pic.twitter.com/buWEXxi5Ho
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 21, 2022
Previously, in an interview with HBO, Brady had declared his response to one team in a similar situations as the Raiders, saying, "One of the teams, they weren’t interested at the very end. I was thinking, ‘You’re sticking with that mother******?" It's not known which team Brady was referring to, but many observers speculated Carr was the player. Carr denied he was the quarterback Brady was referring to.
The 2020 Raiders went 8-8, while the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl with Brady at the helm.
Brady has been linked to numerous teams since his free agency a few years ago, and as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in history, he's attracted many teams to his services. The NFL has recently disciplined Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross for tampering with Brady in an attempt to bring him to the Dolphins.
