Tom Brady swapping his playbook for a pair of skis in Montana? Only in the NFL offseason. Picture this: the GOAT, now a Raiders minority owner, carving fresh powder while whispers of a blockbuster QB move swirl like a Rocky Mountain blizzard. Think Jerry Maguire meets Any Given Sunday, with a dash of Vegas glitz. Brady’s been hustling to revive the Raiders’ fortunes since buying in last year, and his latest alpine adventure just threw gasoline on the NFL rumor mill.
However, the league cleared Brady and the Raiders of tampering after his meetup with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. “There is no issue here,” an NFL spokesman told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on February 27. Why?
The Rams greenlit Stafford’s camp to chat with Vegas. “The Rams gave the player and his agent permission to speak to the Raiders,” the spokesman said. But let’s be real—this isn’t just a casual ski trip. Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported Brady’s been “actively trying to convince Stafford to join the Raiders.” Ian Rapoport countered it was a chance encounter. Sure, and Casablanca’s Rick and Ilsa just bumped into each other for coffee. Besides,
NFL Insider Gives Crucial Update on Matthew Stafford, Tom Brady Meeting
50 million (or close) annually, a figure the Rams balked at, per Rams coach Sean McVay: “There’s no discrepancy on us wanting him to continue to lead the way and be our quarterback. The interesting and the challenging dilemma and dynamics within this are, ‘Hey, how do you continuously as a head coach look at the short term and the long term and be able to figure out what does that really look like?’” Stafford’s point?
Show me the money, or I’ll take my arm to Vegas. The Raiders, Giants, and Steelers are all circling, but Vegas holds a trump card: Brady’s pitch. Imagine Stafford slinging passes to Davante Adams under the neon lights. It’s Ocean’s Eleven meets Monday Night Football. But if Stafford stays in L.A., the Raiders pivot.
They’ve got the No. 6 pick, with Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward on their radar. Or maybe reunite Pete Carroll with Russell Wilson? “The urgency is there,” Carroll said recently. But Wilson’s Top Gun swagger isn’t what it once was. Then there’s free agency: Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, or a dark-horse trade. Vegas isn’t betting on mediocrity anymore. Now, cue the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme.
Gardner Minshew: the Odd Man Out for Brady’s Raiders?
ESPN’s Ryan McFadden named Minshew the Raider most likely to get cut. His 2024 stats? A shaky 9 touchdowns and 10 interceptions before a collarbone injury. “Minshew is expected to have a cap hit of $14 million in 2025, and Las Vegas could save $9.3 million by making him a post-June 1 cut,” McFadden noted. Minshew’s mustache might be iconic, but his QB1 days in Vegas?
Toast. Besides, dumping Minshew isn’t just about cash. It’s a signal: Las Vegas is hunting big game. Pairing Stafford with Davante Adams would echo the Tom Brady-Randy Moss Patriots era. But if Stafford stays put, Plan C options like Shedeur Sanders—a draft gamble with Hollywood pedigree—become crucial. Sanders perhaps has ‘it,’ but is Vegas patient enough to develop him?
Tom Brady’s playing 4D chess here. Whether it’s Stafford, a rookie, or a wildcard like Wilson, the Raiders are all-in. As The Godfather’s Vito Corleone said, “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” But in the NFL, even the best-laid plans can fumble. So here’s the question: Can Brady turn the Raiders into contenders, or is this just another Vegas illusion?
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
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