Tom Brady and Gronk were very nearly Raiders


Things were nearly very different for Gronk and Brady.

Issues have been almost very totally different for Gronk and Brady.
Photograph: Getty Photographs

In what appears like a unending nightmare, Las Vegas Raiders followers obtained some perception into what their workforce virtually seemed like throughout the 2020 season. Throughout Saturday evening’s UFC 278 PPV, Dana White joined the “Gronkcast” (Rob Gronkowski and household) and was coerced by Rob into telling the story of how he and Tom Brady almost ended up taking part in for the Raiders in 2020.

For brokering this type of deal, certainly, there would’ve been great perks hooked up for White, however listening to this information and what may’ve been for Raiders followers is sort of a shot to the intestine. Brady sporting black and silver, taking part in for the workforce Al Davis placed on the map with their outlaw repute would have been one thing.

Think about Tom Brady at quarterback with two Professional Bowl tight ends in Gronkowski and Darren Waller like he had in New England a decade in the past. Gronk and Aaron Hernandez gave the Patriots some of the dynamic offenses of the early 2010s. Most safeties and linebackers couldn’t guard both man. This is similar benefit the Raiders missed by not going by means of with the deal.

Had former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden not “blown that deal up,” the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wouldn’t have celebrated the franchise’s second Tremendous Bowl victory on the finish of that season. I’m not saying Las Vegas wins the Tremendous Bowl for certain, however with Brady main the way in which with two enormous targets at TE, there’s little doubt they’d have been in competition within the AFC.

Now issues are lastly including up. Brady was on LeBron James’ The Store after profitable the championship in Tampa and talked concerning the earlier 12 months when he was deciding the place he’d play after leaving New England. Shocked that one particular workforce was not desirous about his companies Brady used the road, “You’re going to stay with THAT (bleep-bleeper)?”

We now know the workforce, and the M’fer Brady refers to Derek Carr. In fact, anybody of their proper thoughts would leap on the alternative to teach not solely Brady however Gronk additionally. For Gruden, to nix, this deal on the final minute sounds absurd.

The historical past between Brady and the Raiders hasn’t been forgotten, so there in all probability would’ve been some older followers of the workforce that needed no a part of Tom. However, Gruden was working the group at this level and admittedly made a foul enterprise determination. Las Vegas completed the 2020 marketing campaign 8-8, lacking the postseason for the fourth consecutive 12 months.

Tampa ended that season with 11 wins and went on to win the Tremendous Bowl in Brady’s first 12 months within the NFC. Carr is an effective NFL QB, however if in case you have the possibility to amass the GOAT, that’s one thing you could do regardless of how a lot you may love the previous. Plus, the Raiders would get the participant many contemplate the goat TE (Gronk) with Tom within the deal. C’mon man.

It’s loopy to consider what ought to’ve been for some of the loyal fan bases within the NFL.