At a time when minority owner Tom Brady’s role with the Raiders isn’t clear, he gave a clear indication as to his current level of involvement.
Via Ryan McFadden of ESPN, Brady was in the building for the first day of the 2026 offseason program.
It comes a week after Brady posted a lengthy essay about his quest for balance. For Tuesday at least, his balance included traveling from his home in Miami to Nevada for the first official day of coach Klint Kubiak’s regime — and for quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s official visit to the team that holds the first pick in the draft.
Whether that means Brady will be a regular presence for the Raiders during the offseason program remains to be seen. But it represents a break from his absentee landlord vibe, which seems to be something less than owner Mark Davis expected when giving Brady a chunk of the team at a below-market deal.
Regardless of his presence, Brady remains part of team ownership. And the team has said G.M. John Spytek will be running the football operation in “close collaboration” with Brady.
For Tuesday at least, Brady was geographically close to the heart of the action for the Raiders. The closer he works with the Raiders, of course, the more obvious his conflict of interest will become.
Through it all, the league doesn’t seem to care — about Brady’s ties to the Raiders or Troy Aikman’s relationship with the Dolphins. Until the NFL demands change, why not fully embrace the side gig, at a time on the calendar when Brady is able to do so?