Connect with us

Las Vegas Raiders

Tom Brady, Raiders speak with longshot coaching candidates

© Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Tom Brady is already pulling his weight when it comes to the coaching search of the Las Vegas Raiders.

The minority owner was confirmed to play a role in offseason decisions and, when the Raiders fired Antonio Pierce on Tuesday, his responsibilities included helping the team find their next head coach.

The Raiders have already put out interview requests for both coordinators of the Detroit Lions: offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

Both would be excellent choices for the Raiders, but Johnson will likely favor other jobs while Glenn is heavily linked to the opening of the New Orleans Saints.

Meanwhile, Brady has used his personal connections to gauge the interest of arguably the biggest wild card of all.

According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, multiple NFL teams are seeing if former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick would consider a return to the league, and Brady went so far as to speak to his old coach about the move.

Belichick currently has a job with the North Carolina Tar Heels, signing a five-year contract with the university on Dec. 11. He is now assembling a staff and bringing players into the program to bring the Tar Heels to prominence.

However, Belichick’s contract comes with a $10 million buyout clause that runs through June 1, meaning an NFL team could swoop in and land him before that time.

After being fired by the Patriots in 2023, the coach interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons last offseason before they elected to hire Raheem Morris on Jan. 25.

Whether Belichick wishes to return to the NFL, let alone to the Raiders, is unclear. However, his involvement indicates that Brady is willing to use his power as minority owner to secure the best possible candidates for his new team.

The Raiders will continue their search for a head coach, and it will likely take weeks before any clarity is given on who will land the job. However, Belichick’s addition to the cycle is an exciting development.

Raiders coaching candidates with Antonio Pierce fired

Bleacher Report gives low ranking to Raiders’ coaching vacancy

More in Las Vegas Raiders