Josh McDaniels: New Raiders Owner Tom Brady Must Admit Patriots' 'Tuck Rule' Truth
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There's no statute of limitations when it comes to discussing controversial calls in the NFL, or any sports league, for that matter. Even so, Tom Brady might have to at least admit that the law was on his side when it came to one of his most famous triumphs.
The former New England Patriots quarterback is set to become one of the minority owners of the Las Vegas Raiders, with his bid recently submitted to the NFL's front office for approval. It'll take a lot of Brady to change the football-loving public's first thoughts when it comes to pairing him and the Raiders, who were the victims of one of his first and most famous ... or infamous victories.
Then stationed in Oakland, the Raiders were on the wrong end of the "Tuck Rule" game, when an obscure, since-abolished entry in the NFL rulebook ruled a crucial, apparent Brady fumble an incomplete pass, allowing the Patriots to continue a late drive that led to the tying ... and later game-winning ... field goal that kickstarted a New England dynasty that yielded six Super Bowls over the next two decades.
It's perhaps curious enough to see Brady stationed with the Raiders franchise, but it should hardly be a shock considering that another beneficiary of the Tuck Rule, Josh McDaniels (one of the few to partake in all six New England Super Bowl wins alongside Brady), serves as the team's head coach. Jokingly asked if admitting the Tuck Rule was unjustly earned was a condition of Brady's entry, McDaniels coyly played along.
"One hundred percent, no question," McDaniels declared when facetiously queried. The second-year pit boss of Las Vegas was a personnel assistant in New England at the time of Brady's would-be turnover before working his way up to offensive coordinator in two separate stints, which eventually allowed him to land the Raiders' top headset.
As someone who has been by Brady's side for a good part of his New England journey, McDaniels was hopeful about a reunion, even with the position of supervisor flipped.
“I think everybody knows how I feel about Tom the person,” McDaniels said. “So, if that comes to fruition, obviously I’ll be incredibly excited about just him being somebody that’s in Raider Nation and has a vested interest in us doing as well as we can do in trying to bring a championship football team here to Vegas.
“So I don’t know exactly where all that stands. I think that’s a question that’s way above my pay grade in terms of that stuff. But, obviously, (I) had a great history with the player and an even better one with the person. So it’ll obviously be a tremendous honor to partner up with him again.”
A Brady Bowl is set to be staged on Oct. 15, as New England is set to visit Allegiant Stadium for the second straight season.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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