New Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is once again battling injury concerns, prompting speculation that prospective team stakeholder Tom Brady could once again come out of retirement. Brady could face several hurdles to a potential comeback while becoming part-owner of an NFL team, but fellow legend Troy Aikman can already envision the QB suiting up for Las Vegas in 2023.
"It's a good fit for Tom," Aikman told TMZ Sports of Brady's Raiders partnership. "I'm not surprised by it, especially after his other partnership with (owner) Mark Davis. ... I would imagine, being Tom Brady and being a silent partner or a minority investor would be hard, to only be that. I would think that he would want to have a fairly significant role within the organization.
"Maybe (he'd be) involved to the point where he's actually suiting up," Aikman continued. "I don't wanna speak for Tom. (But) I wouldn't rule anything out. He obviously has a relationship with the head coach, he knows the offense, he'll keep himself in great shape. ... I would bet that nothing's off the table, as far as what may occur during the season, or what Tom's role may be. I think he's done playing, but you just never know."
Brady declared after the 2022 season that he was retiring "for good," a year after his initial retirement lasted just one month. This spring, however, he didn't definitively rule out the possibility of returning to the field when asked about a possible comeback.
The 45-year-old Brady been linked to the Raiders as a potential offseason acquisition before retiring a second time, especially with the QB sharing a history with coach Josh McDaniels from their time with the Patriots. It's possible, as part of his approval as a future minority stakeholder in Las Vegas, that other NFL owners would disallow Brady from also representing the team on the field.
Garoppolo, meanwhile, signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract with the Raiders this offseason. But he did not pass a physical upon landing the deal, per recent reports, and can be released without penalty ahead of the 2023 campaign while recovering from foot surgery.
