3 Reasons why Tom Brady joining the Raiders would have never worked out

Capital One's The Match VI - Brady & Rodgers v Allen & Mahomes

Initially, the NFL world found it incredibly odd to see both Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski donning the white and red jerseys of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as opposed to their midnight blue uniforms associated with the New England Patriots.

Yet, with the quarterback entering his third season in Florida and Gronkowski hanging up his cleats last season as a Buccaneer, most have become accustomed to their new looks.

Following the 2019 season, seven-time Super Bowl champion informed the rest of the NFL community that he had officially thrown his final pass as a Patriot. Soon after sifting through his options, both Brady and Gronkowski elected to continue their unique legacies in Tampa Bay. Thus far, things have worked out perfectly for both men, as they played enormous roles in the Buccaneers winning a Lombardi Trophy in 2020.

Ultimately, however, Dana White, the UFC’s president, who is a friend to both Gronkowski and Brady, recently revealed that the Las Vegas Raiders were the preferred destination of both men. Nevertheless, now-disgraced former coach, Jon Gruden, closed the door on that possibility, opting to go in another direction.

Gronkowski, while enjoying the fruits of his labor during his latest retirement, revealed that White isn’t being hyperbolic.

For a moment, let’s live in a world where Gruden wasn’t completely insane and welcomed both Brady and Gronkowski with open arms. What would have happened? Although it’s easy to say that Brady would have enjoyed the same level of success, we’ll explain why joining the Raiders wouldn’t have worked out.

1. Jon Gruden had no idea what he was doing

Chicago Bears v Las Vegas Raiders

From the moment Jon Gruden sauntered through the locker room and offices of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2017, he looked around in disgust. Desperate to build a winner and expunge the indelible memories of a middling franchise, Gruden made countless perplexing moves during his tenure as a Raider.

Following the 2017 regular season, Gruden plucked Khalil Mack, the Raiders All-Pro defensive end, and placed him on the open market. Mack, in four seasons before Gruden arrived, established himself as one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL, racking up three Pro Bowl appearances and two All-Pro selections. Still, despite his production, Gruden shipped him out of town to the Chicago Bears.

In 2020, Gruden lured the services of Jason Witten. While the former Dallas Cowboys tight end is a likely Hall of Famer, he was 38 years old and on his last legs in Las Vegas, registering just 69 receiving yards in 16 games. Gruden’s slew of horrific moves was only accentuated by the addition of Antonio Brown in 2019.

The former All-Pro receiver failed to play a single game in a Raiders uniform as his off-the-field shenanigans forced Vegas to cut their losses. Considering Gruden’s boneheaded trades and missteps, it’s likely he would have frustrated Brady to no end in 2020.

2. Horrific defense

Los Angeles Chargers v Las Vegas Raiders

Much of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' success in 2020 was pinned to Tom Brady's explosive arm. Admittedly, Brady led a group filled with immensely talented offensive players to a Super Bowl win in just his first year.

Nevertheless, the Buccaneers strung together one of the more intimidating defensive units in the entire NFL that season. In total, Tampa gave up just 22.2 points per game that year, good for eighth. This past season, the Buccaneers were even more stout defensively, allowing an average of just 20.8 points per game, checking in at fifth.

Under Gruden’s leadership, Las Vegas has never finished higher than 24th in points allowed per game. Also, in two of Gruden’s four seasons, the Raiders finished no better than 30th in that category.

Overall, the Raiders' lack of talent on the defensive side of the ball, mostly due to Gruden’s bemusing trades, and use of draft assets simply weren’t championship material.

3. No weapons on offense

Miami Dolphins v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Over a two-to-three-year stretch, quarterback Derek Carr, the Las Vegas Raiders' current signal-caller, force-fed the ball to tight end Darren Waller. In turn, Waller emerged as one of the best pass catchers the NFL had to offer. However, it also made the Raiders' offense incredibly predictable.

Well before Tom Brady arrived in Tampa, the Buccaneers were lauded for their ability to aggregate offensive weapons. In addition to having the services of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, two Pro Bowl level receivers, Tampa also enlisted the help of Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, and running back Leonard Fournette.

With a plethora of ammunition at his disposal, Brady has led a Tampa Bay offensive unit that has ranked no lower than third since his arrival. The Raiders, on the other hand, have struggled to get points on the board, making Brady's happiness and success unlikely if he ended up in Las Vegas.