Florio: Brady Won’t Fix Raiders Unless He Makes This Massive Decision
Tom Brady and the Raiders: Can a Part-Time Owner Make a Full-Time Difference?
The Big Picture: Brady’s Role with the Raiders
Imagine your favorite superhero buys a piece of a sports team. That’s basically what happened with Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders.
- 2023: Brady joined the Raiders’ ownership group (he owns a small piece of the team)
- His job: He helps with football decisions but doesn’t work there full-time
- His other jobs: Broadcaster for Fox, business ventures, family time, etc.
- The puzzle: Can you really fix a football team while working three other jobs?
Important Point
Brady isn’t just a silent investor. Reports say he’s helped pick coaches and has a say in big quarterback decisions. But he does it mostly from afar—like texting your fantasy football lineup from the beach.
What the Critics Are Saying: Mike Florio’s Take
Mike Florio (a famous NFL reporter for NBC) has a blunt question: Can Brady actually help the Raiders if he’s only half-paying attention?
Florio’s main argument:
- Influence without presence = awkward middle ground
- You can’t steer a ship if you’re only on deck once a week
- The Raiders need someone "all in, all the time"
A Rival Team’s Surprising Opinion
Here’s the wild part: another NFL team secretly wants Brady to stay exactly where he is.
Florio shared this story on his show PFT Live:
“I basically got a tongue-in-cheek request from another team. ‘Stop talking about the Brady stuff. Stop talking about it.’”
Why would a rival want Brady to keep his current arrangement?
“He’s not going to make them any better, as long as he’s doing all this other sht. So, let him, let him keep doing what he’s doing. Let him think that he’s in a position to turn this thing around, because he’s not.”*
Translation: Rival teams are happy Brady is distracted. They don’t think he can fix the Raiders while juggling everything else.
The Matt Ryan Comparison: What "All In" Looks Like
Florio contrasts Brady with Matt Ryan (former Falcons QB, now broadcaster):
| Tom Brady | Matt Ryan |
|---|---|
| Owns piece of Raiders + broadcasts + businesses | Retired → moved to Atlanta → full-time broadcaster |
| Tries to do everything at once | "Loaded up the truck and moved to Atlanta" |
| Part-time football executive | All in, all the time on one job |
The lesson: Ryan picked one thing and went all in. Brady is trying to do five things at once.
Brady’s Actual Influence: More Than Just a Figurehead?
Despite the criticism, Brady has made his mark:
- Chip Kelly hire: Brady pushed for Kelly as offensive coordinator (they’ve known each other 10+ years)
- Secret work sessions: Reports say Brady and Kelly worked "closely together" before a Chargers game in 2025
- Social media slip-up: An NFL post about their collaboration was quickly deleted—suggesting the league noticed Brady’s hands-on role
Important Point
Brady cares and knows football. The question isn’t "Does he know what he’s doing?" It’s "Does he have enough time to do it right?"
The Fernando Mendoza Situation: Rookie QB Drama
This is where it gets really interesting. The Raiders drafted Fernando Mendoza #1 overall.
Florio’s hot take: Play the kid now.
“I don’t like the idea of the number one overall pick in the draft not playing. The Raiders need a spark. The Raiders need to get a return on their investment.”
Florio suspects Brady might be the reason Mendoza sits:
- Brady didn’t play as a rookie (sat behind Drew Bledsoe)
- Brady might think: "I waited, so he should wait"
- Florio’s rebuttal: "Just because it worked for him doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone in today’s NFL."
Modern NFL reality: If you draft a QB #1, you play him. If he’s not ready, you drafted the wrong guy.
The Core Question: Can You Be Effective Part-Time?
This isn’t about Brady’s passion or football IQ. It’s about bandwidth.
Florio’s challenge to Brady:
- Pick a lane: Raiders OR broadcasting OR businesses
- You can’t be a "difference-maker" on nights and weekends
- The Raiders are trying to change their fortunes—that requires full-time leadership
What Happens Next?
Three possible paths:
- Status quo: Brady stays part-time → Raiders stay mediocre → Rivals stay happy
- Brady goes all in: Quits broadcasting, moves to Vegas, runs football ops → Raiders might turn it around
- Brady steps back: Lets football people run football → Focuses on being an owner/investor
Summary
- Tom Brady owns part of the Las Vegas Raiders and helps with football decisions
- But he has many other jobs (TV, businesses, etc.)
- Critic Mike Florio says: You can’t fix a team part-time
- A rival team agrees—they want Brady distracted
- Comparison: Matt Ryan went "all in" on one career; Brady hasn’t
- Flashpoint: Rookie QB Fernando Mendoza isn’t playing—Florio thinks Brady’s old-school "sit and learn" mindset might be why
- Bottom line: Brady cares, but caring ≠ time. To really change the Raiders, he may need to choose them over everything else.
FAQ
Q: Does Tom Brady actually own the Raiders?
A: He owns a small percentage (reportedly ~5-10%) as part of an ownership group led by Mark Davis. He’s not the sole owner.
Q: What does "football operations" mean?
A: It’s the side of the team that handles coaches, players, trades, draft picks, and game strategy—basically everything that happens on the field.
Q: Why would a rival team want Brady to stay in his current role?
A: They believe a distracted Brady can’t improve the Raiders, making them an easier opponent. It’s a compliment to Brady’s skills—and an insult to his current commitment level.
Q: Did Tom Brady play as a rookie?
A: No. He was drafted in 2000 and didn’t play meaningful snaps until 2001, when starter Drew Bledsoe got injured. That experience shapes his view on rookie QBs.
Q: Can an owner be involved in coaching decisions?
A: Yes, but it’s unusual. Most owners hire a General Manager and stay out of day-to-day choices. Brady’s direct involvement (like pushing for Chip Kelly) is rare for a non-full-time executive.