NFL insider: Tom Brady didn't want Sam Darnold as Raiders QB, Pushed for Geno Smith

From the moment seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady joined the Las Vegas Raiders as a minority owner, it was abundantly clear that he'd have a major say in the team's search for a new quarterback. What wasn't clear, though, is that he'd have a major say in the quarterback search of another team: the Seattle Seahawks.

Obviously, the Raiders ended up trading for now-former Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith back in March, with Brady reportedly being very high on him. However, he was also partially responsible for the Seahawks landing their replacement for Smith.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith throws the ball during minicamp. | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

According to Michael Silver of The Athletic, Brady did not want the Raiders to invest in Sam Darnold, the top free agent quarterback on the market. Instead, the Seahawks ended up signing Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million contract just days after trading away Smith.

"The Seahawks’ pursuit of Darnold snuck up on many NFL observers and proceeded in rapid-fire fashion," Silver wrote. "While some believed the Las Vegas Raiders would try to sign Darnold, minority owner Tom Brady — a seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback whose opinion held great sway — was not in favor of that approach, according to a source familiar with the franchise’s internal discussions.

"Meanwhile, Smith, seeking a lucrative extension from the Seahawks, reacted coldly to the team’s initial offer. The Raiders, having recently hired former Seattle coach Pete Carroll, emerged as a potential trade partner."

Brady is understandably not a very popular figure among Seahawks fans. He denied them (or more accurately, Malcolm Butler denied them) their second straight ring when he and the New England Patriots defeated them in a thrilling Super Bowl XLIX.

However, if Darnold ends up working out for the Seahawks, fans may have to send him a thank you basket.

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