Aidan O'Connell Reveals QB He Looked Up To

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell looked up to just one quarterback growing up.

Oct 25, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell has an old-school style quarterback vibe. 

He is a pure pocket passer who does not run often, makes quick decisions, and does not take many shots downfield. He is accurate and gets the ball out quickly. 

O’Connell is competing to be the starter for the Silver and Black in 2024 with veteran free agent addition Gardner Minshew, a position Coach Antonio Pierce says he has earned. The competition between O’Connell and Minshew will be worth monitoring throughout training camp. 

O’Connell models his game after one quarterback, his favorite quarterback growing up. He joined defensive end Maxx Crosby on the latest episode of his podcast, The Rush with Maxx Crosby, to reveal who it is. 

“It was really just Tom Brady to me,” he said. “That was really it.”

O’Connell also said he’s been able to speak with Brady, who is still waiting to become a minority owner of the Raiders. 

“I’ve seen him a few times last year. It was crazy. The guy I try to model my game after, that I’m such a huge fan of for a long time, to get to hear him talk about the offense I was in last year, to hear him talk about it, he was in it for 20 years, whatever it was, was awesome, a dream come true. But at the same time, I’m trying to make my name, carve it out for myself. And so, it’s in everything, that balance of trying to be reflective and be grateful, but also trying to tackle the task at hand and be the best player I can be.”

Crosby asked O’Connell what he thought separated Brady from his quarterback contemporaries.

“His desire to win. That really bleeds into all aspects of your life. For him, that’s why I loved it, because as a sixth-round pick to do what he did, to struggle to find a way to start, and then to come in and start and win a Super Bowl, just to see in the documentaries his journey and mindset about how he thought about things, how he wanted to approach different situations, and obviously, he was coached super hard, to see how he reacted to that. All the on-the-field stuff, he’s amazing; so accurate, so smart, but also all the off-the-field stuff of being able to persevere and go through the things he went through.”

Click here to watch the full episode with O’Connell on Crosby’s podcast.

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