Rumors Suggest Tom Brady's True Reason for Contacting Bill Belichick Amid Raiders HC Search

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Benedetto Vitale | Last updated Jan 8, 2025 5:01 PM ET

With six NFL organizations searching for a new head coach, the rumor mill has been running rampant with possible candidates for each team. One that stood out was the idea of Bill Belichick leaving the North Carolina Tar Heels for the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching job.

However, those rumors were shut down quickly after Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that the 72-year-old head coach plans to remain with the Tar Heels. Additionally, his son, Stephen, is contractually in line to take over as the UNC head coach once his father steps down.

Regardless, former New England Patriots quarterback turned part-owner of the Raiders and NFL announcer Tom Brady reportedly did reach out to Belichick. That fact alone ignited the rumor that the Raiders might be interested in hiring Belichick.

On Wednesday, rumors claim that Brady only reached out to Belichick asking for advice on how to find the right head coach for the job, according to Vincent Bonsignore of Vegas Nation and The Reveiw Journal. If that's true, then Belichick would not be considered a serious candidate.

The sense I'm getting on @Raiders/Bill Belichick per sources: The talks were more about Tom Brady picking Belichick's brain on search process/traits, etc, rather than trying to bring him to LV as the head coach.
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) January 8, 2025

The Raiders have several candidates on their radar, as the front office has scheduled interviews with both Detroit Lions' coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glen. Las Vegas has also requested an interview with Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Other candidates that are potentially in the mix include Mike Vrabel, Brian Flores, and Liam Cohen. The Raiders are casting a wide net and are considering candidates with and without head coaching experience.

Vegas should be considered an enticing opporutnity for any HC candidate available. The Raiders are projected to have $97.79 million of cap space available this offseason, giving them the second highest in the league only behind the New England Patriots ($126.13 million).

Additionally, the team owns the No. 6 pick overall in the 2025 NFL draft. Quarterback is a key issue for the roster right now and the franchise is in a prime position to make a move for one of the top prospects in this year's class. Las Vegas will also likely evaluate the quarterbacks available in free agency, along with the trade market.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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