Tom Brady is beginning to take a more hands-on approach with the Las Vegas Raiders. The legendary quarterback originally became a minority owner of the team in 2024. Brady, alongside his business partner Tom Wagner, bought a 10% stake in the legendary franchise.
Initially, it was unclear how involved Brady would be. Mark Davis remains the controlling owner, and Brady is preoccupied with his broadcasting career. However, Brady clearly has some say in the personnel department, and according to Colin Cowherd, Brady chose the team’s quarterback this offseason.
Colin Cowherd Says Brady Didn’t Want Sam Darnold
This offseason, there were a few quality quarterbacks available in free agency, including Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers, and Daniel Jones.
Darnold was seen as an interesting option due to his impressive 2024 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings. The quarterback threw for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns while leading the Vikings to the playoffs.
Naturally, it seemed like the Raiders and Darnold would be a good match. However, the team opted to trade for veteran Geno Smith instead, reuniting the passer with head coach Pete Carroll. It was assumed that Carroll wanted the reunion, but Cowherd believes it was actually Brady who didn’t want Darnold.
“What is it with Pete Carroll and Geno Smith? You know, there were reports that Brady didn’t want Sam Darnold in Vegas,” Cowherd explained. “It seems to me Sammy is pretty good.”
To be fair, Cowherd isn’t just making that up. NFL insider Michael Silver reported earlier this year that Brady indeed did not want to invest in Darnold. It’s easy to second-guess that decision now, though.
So far in 2025, Smith is tied for the league lead with 11 interceptions. The veteran has thrown for 11 touchdowns as well, and the Raiders are buried in the AFC West at 2-6. PFSN’s QB Impact ranking gives Smith a 76.9 grade for his play so far in 2025.
Meanwhile, Darnold has continued to impress for the second straight season. The quarterback has thrown for 2,084 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. Darnold has the Seahawks playing as well as anybody in the NFC, as the team enters Week 10 with a 6-2 record. PFSN’s QB Impact ranking gives Darnold an 87.9 ranking, which is the fifth-best mark in the league.
It doesn’t seem like Brady picked Smith over Darnold for financial reasons. Smith actually has a higher average salary than Darnold over the next three seasons. Darnold inked a three-year, $100.5 million deal with Seattle, while the Raiders gave Smith a two-year extension worth $75 million.
