Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

UFC President Dana White: Jon Gruden blew up deal to bring Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski to Raiders

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated Aug 20, 2022 11:31 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have Jon Gruden to thank for their victory in Super Bowl LV.

According to UFC President Dana White, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski were on their way to join the Las Vegas Raiders before the former coach "blew the deal up."

While chatting during a live commentary of UFC 278 on Saturday, White claimed he was the one negotiating the deal before Gruden nixed things.

"I worked to put that deal together for Brady and Gronk to come to the Raiders, and it was almost a done deal," White said. "And at the last minute, Gruden blew the deal up and said that he didn't want them."

Dana White just told the Gronks that he had a deal done for Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski to become Raiders and Gruden “Blew the deal up”

“Tom was looking for houses and everything” pic.twitter.com/JI73ivoAoK
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 21, 2022

If White is to be believed, Brady and Gronkowski to the Raiders was a real possibility. White said that Brady was "looking for houses and everything" in anticipation of the move out west.

As we all know, neither Brady nor Gronkowski ended up in silver and black, much to the delight of Buccaneers fans everywhere.

White's tale is an interesting one, to say the least, even if we never know the truth.

Mike Santa Barbara

Mike Santa Barbara is a Wilmington, Delaware native (Yes, it's a real place) with over a decade of sports writing experience. A diehard Philadelphia sports fan, he has two dogs named after Flyers and cried real tears when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. You can follow him on Twitter at @mike__sb

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