Tom Brady Is One Who Must Seek Redemption for Raiders' 2025 Blunder

Tom Brady is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. How did his influence affect the Raiders negatively?

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Tom Brady looks on from the sideline before the CFP National Championship college football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders have the privilege of having one of the best NFL players of all time in their front office. Even though Tom Brady is just a minority owner, his involvement in their decision-making has been no secret.

He was on the sideline with John Spytek and the rest of the Raiders' top brass to see the CFP National Championship game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes. It's clear that he has a say in this organization moving forward, but is that for the best?

A Retrospective

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Last offseason, the Raiders consulted Brady on which direction they should go at quarterback. Seeing as how he has more Super Bowl rings than the majority of NFL franchises, it seems like that would be an excellent decision.

After all, who else would know what to look for in a quarterback than one of the greatest quarterbacks the sport will ever see? As Sports Illustrated writer Tom Dierberger reported, Brady swayed the Raiders away from giving Sam Darnold a chance in free agency last offseason, and instead opted to lean towards Geno Smith.

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws in the third quarter against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

I don't think anyone expected Darnold to win the Super Bowl when the Seattle Seahawks signed him to be their quarterback. However, even Darnold's biggest skeptic would agree that his 2024 tape was more impressive than Smith's.

Smith lasted one season in Las Vegas before they cut him. Meanwhile, the Seahawks are poised to go back-to-back, and a big reason why is the team-friendly deal Darnold is on. I don't believe if the Raiders signed Darnold, they would've made a Super Bowl run, but I do think their quarterback play would've been much improved.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Brady's influence changed the course of NFL history. If he had been higher on Darnold in the offseason, the Raiders would've signed him, and the team hoisting the Lombardi Trophy may have been different.

Unfortunately for the Raiders, their decision to listen to him ended up blowing in their face. Now that Fernando Mendoza is set to be the first overall pick, the Raiders have to ask themselves whether they want him to be a part of the decision-making going forward.

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (QB11) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

They can't discredit his greatness on one miscalculation, but it was a pretty severe lapse of judgment. He's a minority owner, and Spytek should consider treating him like one. After all, if he misses like this again, they have nobody to blame but themselves.