The NFL has positioned important restrictions on Tom Brady throughout his time as a broadcaster. Because the future Corridor of Fame quarterback is now part-owner of the Raiders, he’s prohibited from talking, attending practices, touring to golf equipment’ amenities or doing onsite interview prep with coaches earlier than broadcast assignments. However a loophole might affect the Raiders’ teaching search.
Brady shall be in Detroit for FOX’s divisional-round sport (Commanders-Lions), and he would have an opportunity to each intently consider Ben Johnson (and Lions DC Aaron Glenn) and proceed talking with a coach who seems to be — at this juncture, no less than — the Raiders’ early favourite.
Raiders-Johnson momentum is constructing, per the Las Vegas Evaluate-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore. Clearly residing as a frontrunner right here, Johnson is “severely contemplating” the Raiders, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur notes. In predicting suits, Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson positioned Johnson in Vegas.
Whereas Mark Davis is technically atop the group, it’s broadly believed Brady is operating the group’s HC and GM pursuits. A report pointed to this search being “Tom’s present,” and Tafur gives extra in that path by including that the minority proprietor was closely concerned within the selections to fireside Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco final week. Telesco was in the end canned as a result of the Raiders needed to begin recent somewhat than pair a brand new coach with a holdover GM.
It’s irregular for a part-owner to have this a lot affect in searches of this magnitude, however Brady’s stature within the sport makes him a particular case. The 47-year-old exec’s presence is believed to have pushed Johnson so as to add the Raiders to his interview record. The Lions’ OC has been choosy about jobs since first becoming a member of a training carousel in 2023, and he famously backed out because the Commanders’ frontrunner final 12 months. For Johnson to then be open to taking a Raiders job regardless of the dearth of a quarterback presence and contemplating Davis’ lack of endurance with coaches in recent times, it could definitely say lots about Brady’s potential to recruit.
Las Vegas could also be eyeing a Detroit-centric plan, with Tafur including Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark who is believed to have an early leg up on the competitors for the GM job. This is able to be an fascinating growth, as Newmark has not acquired an interview request simply but. Packers exec Jon-Eric Sullivan, Steelers staffer Sheldon White and ex-Brady Michigan teammate John Spytek — a Buccaneers assistant GM — are the interviewees to this point. Spytek held early momentum as a candidate to observe; Newmark making up floor can be fascinating as a consequence of his historical past.
Though Newmark left for Washington in 2024, he spent greater than 20 years as a Detroit exec. That clearly covers the time Johnson has spent with the franchise, and Tafur provides the Raiders view Newmark as a staffer who might pair effectively with the 38-year-old play-caller.
Brady started vetting Johnson when he did a Week 9 Lions-Packers broadcast, Tafur gives. This is able to clearly be an uncommon approach for a franchise to assemble intel on a candidate, and it clearly calls Brady’s FOX position into query so far as objectivity goes. Contemplating the steam Johnson has gained with the Raiders, the continued Brady conflict-of-interest subplot will proceed Saturday.
Johnson is nonetheless in play for the Bears and Jaguars’ jobs, and whereas it isn’t recognized if the groups have him as a favourite, Mike Vrabel being off the carousel leaves Johnson as the most well liked candidate primarily based on historical past and the Lions’ dominant season on offense. The Jags are believed to be closely . Johnson can not conduct any second interviews till a Tremendous Bowl bye week, or if the Lions are eradicated earlier.
For Johnson to again out of the Commanders’ search solely to affix the Raiders would represents a borderline coup for Brady, and it could add much more intrigue to a division that has seen large teaching expertise be part of Andy Reid in recent times. Johnson would be part of Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh within the AFC West. The Raiders nonetheless have interviews to undergo, and Johnson’s previous ought to remind this isn’t a executed deal. However this a lot noise in regards to the scenario is definitely fascinating this early within the course of.
