On Facebook
On Flipboard
Rob Gronkowski addresses Tom Brady, Raiders rumors
Retired tight end Rob Gronkowski sounds convinced quarterback Tom Brady won't play for the Las Vegas Raiders at any point.
"This is the craziest thing I'm hearing all month so far in the month of May, and I've heard some crazy things in the month of May," Gronkowski said about Brady possibly starting for Las Vegas this fall during a Wednesday appearance on the "Up & Adams" program, as shared by Matt Hladik of The Spun.
Gronkowski and Brady previously played under Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels when McDaniels served as offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots, and the two future Hall of Famers were linked with Las Vegas late last year. That, however, was before Brady retired "for good" and before Gronkowski confidently said ahead of Super Bowl LVII that the 45-year-old "is not reopening that door" and playing again.
ESPN personality Troy Aikman recently generated headlines when he suggested he "wouldn't rule anything out" regarding Brady, who is becoming a limited partner of the Raiders, possibly replacing free-agency signing Jimmy Garoppolo if Garoppolo's recovery from foot surgery goes poorly.
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported that Garoppolo's contract with the Raiders includes a clause that lets the club essentially void the deal if he can't pass a physical.
Gronkowski thinks Garoppolo will do everything necessary to eventually pass a physical but also acknowledged that Brady's association with the Raiders makes for an interesting story.
"If he doesn't pass that physical, the speculation of Tom Brady coming back and playing for the [Las Vegas] Raiders is going to be on everybody's radar," Gronkowski added about Garoppolo.
Back on May 22, ESPN NFL insider Jeff Darlington indicated the other 31 league owners would not let Brady play for any team while owning a minority stake in the Raiders:
This should also put to rest any of the final few holdouts still wondering if Tom will come back out of retirement. NFL rules require a vote of all 32 teams to allow anyone to play while holding a financial interest in a club. So we can all move on now… right? …right?? https://t.co/sg8SzffpWf
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) May 22, 2023
Meanwhile, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that "a league source raised the possibility that Brady’s approval by fellow owners (to purchase a part of the Raiders) could come with the provision that he is fully retired."
With all of that said, Brady hasn't yet emphatically slammed the door shut on un-retiring for a second time, and Gronkowski didn't say on Wednesday he knows, for sure, his longtime teammate won't chase an eighth career Super Bowl ring before he becomes Fox's lead NFL analyst as soon as 2024.
More must-reads:
- Could Tom Brady play quarterback as part-owner of Raiders?
- Former QB doesn't rule out Tom Brady returning to play in 2023
- The 'Replacements for notable NFL QBs' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Jets QB Justin Fields had 'alarming' practice against Giants
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields found out he has a long way to go following his performance at Tuesday's joint practice with the New York Giants. Per Connor Hughes of SNY TV, Fields started hot at the practice before struggling during the move-the-ball period. "Very interesting practice for #Jets QB Justin Fields," Hughes posted on X. "He finished 7 of 12 with a TD. 5 of 5 to start practice. Then 0 for 4. Finished 2 of 3 with the really impressive TD to Jeremy Ruckert in red zone (starter 18 yard line). "The offensive performance was a bit alarming in move-the-ball period of practice. Fields Co. had three attempts to get down field. They didn’t gain a first down. Only gained yards twice (two short Breece Hall runs). Three sacks. That needs to be fixed. #Giants defense toyed with NYJ during that period." Some Jets fans online thought Hughes was using hyperbole to characterize the practice, but he doubled down on his judgment of the offense. Fields looked strong on his first and only drive in the Jets' 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. He went 3-of-4 passing for 42 yards and rushed two times for 14 yards and a touchdown. However, the Giants defense at the joint practice is a much better unit than the short-handed one the Packers trotted out for the first preseason game. Fields' issues seen with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, with holding the ball too long and not being able to pass consistently downfield, were a factor against the Giants. Following Saturday's game, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said Fields was getting better but had a lot to improve on. Tuesday's practice was a humbling reminder that Fields needs to become a consistent passer if the Jets are going to move the ball on good defenses in the regular season.
Shohei Ohtani named in lawsuit regarding $240M real estate project
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has been named in a lawsuit that was filed in Hawaii on Friday. Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, are being sued by a real estate investor and a broker in Hawaii who have accused Ohtani and Balelo of sabotaging a $240M real estate deal for a development on the Big Island. According to court documents that were obtained by Jimmy Golen of The Associated Press, real estate developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto say Ohtani and Balelo deliberately had them removed from the project “for no reason other than their own financial self-interest.” The lawsuit claims Ohtani was brought into the deal for his promotional value and that he and his agent pushed the founders of the project out using “threats and baseless legal claims.” “Defendants must be held accountable for their actions, not shielded by fame or behind-the-scenes agents acting with impunity,” the lawsuit states. “Plaintiffs bring this suit to expose Defendants’ misconduct and to ensure that the rules of contract, fair dealing, and accountability apply equally to all — celebrity or not.” Hayes and Matsumoto have also accused Ohtani and Balelo of trying to push them out of a similar neighboring development project. The $240M Big Island development is located along Hapuna Beach, which is rated one of the top beaches in the world. Matsumoto was supposed to be the listing agent for the properties, which average more than $17.3M each. A brochure for the project stated that Ohtani, who was called “Japan’s Babe Ruth” has committed to buying one of the 14 properties and acting as a “celebrity spokesperson” for the development. Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700M contract with the Dodgers prior to the 2024 season. The two-way star is having another monster year with a .284 average, 42 home runs, 78 RBI and a 1.013 OPS entering Tuesday. Ohtani has also returned to pitching this season and has a 2.37 ERA across 19 innings. Ohtani was also connected to a massive gambling scandal last year, though Major League Baseball determined that the 31-year-old was not guilty of any wrongdoing.
Green Bay Packers: Josh Jacobs Gets Honest About Malik Willis’ Future
In 2024, Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis was suddenly given the keys to the offense under center after Jordan Love suffered an injury in Week 1’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. Despite limited time with the Packers in the offseason, Willis managed to be a steady presence on the field, with Green Bay tailoring the offense for him. With Love reportedly undergoing a procedure on his left thumb, Willis filled in as the Packers’ QB1 during Thursday’s joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts. Willis appeared to make a good account of himself on the field, with Packers running back Josh Jacobs taking notice of the quarterback’s performance. “We know what Malik is and what we have in Malik,” Jacobs said, per Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers’ website. Jacobs also shared his confidence in Willis’ NFL outlook. “He made a few throws today that was kinda like, ‘Wow.’ Just him being more comfortable and him being the leader, I think he’s naturally a guy that he puts in the work, so I think he’s going to succeed.” Will Jordan Love be ready for the Green Bay Packers’ 2025 NFL season opener? The Packers are less than a month away from kicking off their 2025 campaign, with a date with the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field scheduled for September 7. Green Bay, however, doesn’t seem all that worried about Love’s availability for that contest. “We’ll get him back in plenty of time,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said (h/t Rob Demovsky of ESPN). “I don’t foresee this affecting him long term at all.” As for the upcoming preseason clash with the Colts and the one after that versus the Seattle Seahawks, Love can be expected to sit out both contests, with Willis possibly getting some snaps.
Anonymous NFL Personnel Describe Denver Broncos' Bo Nix's Greatest Strengths
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had a strong rookie season and there is high anticipation for his second year. The former Oregon Ducks quarterback brought his team to the playoffs, and showed tremendous growth throughout the year. Broncos coach Sean Payton has full confidence in his quarterback, and Denver could be a rising star in the league. Playing in the AFC West is a challenge, but Nix has the potential to be one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Where Nix Ranks Among NFL Quarterbacks The Athletic put together a panel to rank the NFL quarterbacks by tiers. Nix was ranked in Tier 3, which is not a poor placement for a player heading into just his second season in the league, as the sixth quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. The only quarterback rated higher than Nix from the 2024 draft class is Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels, who not only brought his team to the postseason but also led them to the NFC Championship game. Despite Nix having a strong season with the Oregon Ducks in 2023, he was not thought of as highly as the other quarterbacks in the draft class. Nix was selected by the Broncos with the No. 12 overall pick. Nix’s Mobility Exceeded Expectations Payton recently spoke about how Nix’s most underrated talent is running the ball, and it was one of the reasons the Broncos selected the former Duck. While it may have been underrated during the draft process, the league is starting to take notice. Per The Athletic, an anonymous general manager, who was not in the market for a quarterback, believed Nix would be a dink-and-dunk quarterback, but the former Ducks player turned out to be more mobile than expected. Anonymous coaches around the league said a similar sentiment, highlighting his mobility. “I think the biggest strength is he is very mobile and can keep his eyes down the field when he’s moving,” The anonymous offensive coach told The Athletic. “He made big plays on the move.” In the 2024 regular season, Nix rushed the ball 92 times for 430 yards. He also had four rushing touchdowns. Although the Broncos could not keep up with the Buffalo Bills in the wild card round and suffered a tough loss, Nix had four carries for 43 yards. “He looks pretty sharp, he knows where to go with the ball, he runs better than you think, he throws better than you think,” A defensive coordinator told The Athletic. “He looks like a good competitor who makes people around him better. That is what your quarterback has to do.” Nix finished the regular season with 3,775 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He had a slow start, but his development in the second half of the season was apparent. Nix And Payton Perfect Pair? One year after Payton came out of retirement, he and the Broncos selected Nix in the draft. While Nix has shown he is talented while with Oregon, working with Payton could be a perfect pairing, as he could bring out the quarterback's full potential. One coach believes Payton will be able to develop Nix so well that not only will he and Daniels continue to grow into stars in the league, but Nix could become a better player. “What we are going to see is Sean Payton’s ability to develop a quarterback relative to Kliff Kingsbury's ability to do that,” a coach told The Athletic. “Both players appear to be dialed into the profession of quarterbacking - taking care of the body, coming in early, leaving late, being all about ball. I’m interested in seeing who is able to grow the most this coming year. I actually think Bo Nix will win out in that.” Payton has spent the summer highlighting his quarterback, while Nix is stepping up as a leader. With Payton’s full support and a strong team surrounding him, Nix has the chance to bring the Broncos back into the postseason and make a deep playoff run. Nix and the Denver Broncos will kick off the 2025 NFL season against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 7. RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
