The Las Vegas Raiders desperately needed to improve their quarterback situation ahead of this season.
Gardner Minshew clearly wasn’t a long-term solution, and neither was Aidan O’Connell.
Given their salary cap situation, they were often tied to a potential move for Sam Darnold, who was set to hit free agency after a breakout season.
Nevertheless, it seems like Tom Brady wasn’t sold on him yet.
As reported by Dov Kleiman on X, the legendary quarterback advised the team not to make a run at Darnold:
“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,” per Michael Silver.
Damn: Raiders minority owner Tom Brady did NOT want the team to sign Sam Darnold in free agency:
“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… pic.twitter.com/jGXCfqFA16
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 21, 2025
Brady surely knows a thing or two about playing quarterback, so the Raiders may have done the right thing by listening to him.
Granted, Geno Smith, who they eventually traded for, has also had his fair share of struggles in the past, but he’s familiar with Pete Carroll from their days with the Seattle Seahawks, and he’s been solid for more than one season.
Darnold got exposed in the playoffs again, and given his long history of struggles and shortcomings, most of which came in the AFC East when he faced Brady twice a year, it’s easy to understand why Brady would be hesitant to give him a vote of confidence after just one season.
Only time will tell whether the Raiders did the right thing by passing on Darnold and trading for Smith.
But when it comes to quarterbacks, it’s hard to think of someone more qualified to discuss the position and share his thoughts about it than the winningest signal-caller this game has ever seen.
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