Does Mark Davis have a motive in accepting Tom Brady's investment?

Mark Davis. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Does Mark Davis have unique motive in accepting Tom Brady's investment in Raiders?

By Jason Clinkscales | Last updated 5/12/23

With news that Tom Brady is negotiating to become a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, Fox Sports analyst Brady Quinn says that the future Hall of Fame quarterback will help team owner Mark Davis

At the 2:26 mark of this clip from "Two Pros and a Cup of Joe," host Jonas Knox brings up a discussion Rob Gronkowski, Brady's longtime running made in New England and Tampa Bay, had with UFC boss Dana White about how he and Brady ended up with the Buccaneers instead of the Raiders.

Gronk says that there was a deal to bring them both to Las Vegas, agreed upon by Davis, but nixed by then-head coach Jon Gruden.

When asked why he thought the deal fell apart, Quinn observed that "Jon Gruden came back to be the face of the franchise. You can't have two faces of the franchise."

Knox, Quinn and LaVar Arrington spoke about Gruden's ego being at play.

"Jon Gruden came back to be the face of the franchise...How I look at it is if Tom Brady came in at that time he'd steal the spotlight from Gruden."

@Brady_Quinn on Tom Brady buying a stake in the Raiders w/ @LaVarArrington & @TheJonasKnox

LISTEN: https://t.co/DRYDJWjPtO pic.twitter.com/OwGeQCI8E9
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) May 12, 2023

Times have changed in Las Vegas, to say the least.

Gruden has been out of the league since October 2021 when Davis fired him in the aftermath of racist, homophobic and sexist emails he sent while working at ESPN.

Gronkowski didn't play in 2022 after being coaxed out of retirement for the Bucs' Super Bowl run, and may likely stay retired this time. After his own brief retirement following the 2021 season, Brady finally hung up the cleats for good this past February, but taking a stake in the silver and black shows how much he still hopes to be involved with football.

Derek Carr, who was released at the end of the 2022 season, is now with the New Orleans Saints.

It's hard to say that Davis bringing Brady into the ownership group is some way of moving on from the Gruden mess when the Raiders themselves have more current issues at hand. Yet improved play and a chance to contend for a Super Bowl in the coming years will do far more to wipe away the stain of the franchise's misguided reunion with Gruden.

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