The Las Vegas Raiders are a week away from going back-to-back seasons with four wins or fewer. This time around, it appears highly likely that Tom Brady’s minority owned team earns the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Now the G.O.A.T. is being encouraged to get more involved.
Can Brady’s Influence Turn the Raiders Franchise Around?
With selections in the top 15 in each of the previous two drafts, the Raiders elected to take offensive players, TE Brock Bowers and RB Ashton Jeanty. Now, after QB Geno Smith’s subpar play, Las Vegas could be after a gunslinger at the top spot.
Regardless of who they draft, Las Vegas is trending in the wrong direction. However, the answers they seek may not be far away.
Brady has been a minority owner of the Raiders since October of 2024, with little to write home about. As things go from bad to worse, New York Times author Michael Silver is making a call to action.
“The Raiders need a lot of help,” wrote Silver. “They need a leader. They need the front-office equivalent of a tough, hyper-competitive, ruthless quarterback staring down the opposition and acting large and in charge. It’s time for Tom Brady to come out of the shadows.”
Silver continues by stating that Brady’s potential influence on football decisions must become more apparent if the Raiders hope to achieve success.
“Brady, since becoming a minority owner in October 2024, has been in a prime position to influence organizational decisions.”
Silver continued, “Depending on what you read and whom you talk to — and trust me, there are plenty of people in the Raiders’ organization who aren’t sure which calls are being made by whom — Brady is being treated by owner Mark Davis as the de facto boss when it comes to football matters.”
With Brady in the perfect spot to put his fingerprints on the franchise, Silver goes on to discuss why the seven-time Super Bowl champion is the ideal person to save the Raiders.
The Raiders are the worst team in the NFL and they need a leader.
It’s time for Tom Brady to come out of the shadows. pic.twitter.com/7qE4NHmCVP
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) January 2, 2026
“He’s one of the most relentlessly driven humans I’ve ever encountered — and there’ve been a lot of those, from Michael Jordan to Jerry Rice to Serena Williams– and I can’t think of a single reason he wouldn’t succeed at running an NFL team,” said Silver.
“That’s why, selfishly, I want him to drop everything, march into Allegiant Stadium with that savage look in his eye and announce that he’s the new Emperor of Raider Nation.”
While Brady’s knowledge and drive for the game trumps many others in the world, can one person turn the downward path of Las Vegas around?
Las Vegas Ranks Bottom of NFL on Both Sides of Ball
Using PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, the Raiders rank 31st, ahead of just the Cleveland Browns. Taking the fewest number of offensive snaps in the NFL (887) has not allowed them to take control of games. Even with the ball, the Raiders average just 1.35 points per drive (Pts/Dr), ranking them 31st once again.
Defensively, the silver and black have not performed much better, ranking 27th according to PFSN’s Defense Impact metric. With the lack of offense, Las Vegas’ defense has been called upon to keep the club in low-scoring games, something they have not necessarily been horrible at. Patrick Graham’s unit has allowed 320 total points, ranking them 21st.
With young players emerging in the organization and more to come, thanks to undoubtedly strong draft positioning, can Brady and company bring the Raiders out of the trenches?