Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time. That is unlikely to change. However, his reputation as an owner isn't off to a great start. He was given significant say in the team's restructuring last offseason after claiming a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders. His biggest decisions involved hiring GM John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll. That isn't looking so great at the moment. Spytek's first draft has looked shaky outside of 1st round pick Ashton Jeanty. Carroll did nothing to improve the team from last year. In fact, they got even worse, sitting at 2-14 with one game left.
Most insiders agree there is a strong likelihood Carroll will be fired after the season ends. Then the Raiders will begin searching for a replacement to help turn the ship around. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Brady is the one calling the shots on this. He apparently already has a name in mind.
There’s a rumor currently making the rounds that, once Brady rolls up his sleeves (while also wearing one glove and an expensive-ass watch), he’ll make the case for bringing in Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
As the chatter goes, Flores would be the head coach, and former Giants coach Brian Daboll would be the offensive coordinator. Like Flores, Daboll has extensive experience with the Patriot Way. Daboll was there for the first three Super Bowl wins of the Brady/Belichick era, and for two of the second trio of championships.
Brady and Flores are believed to have a good relationship. Flores was among those in Miami who wanted to bring Brady to town after his time in Tampa.
This isn't a surprise.
Brady already tried the prove route with Carroll. That flopped. Now he aims to find somebody who coaches a similar style to Bill Belichick, with whom the quarterback won six Super Bowls. Flores spent 15 years in the Patriots organization. He saw how the process worked during its peak. There is no doubt he'd bring that no-nonsense approach Belichick was notorious for.
Tom Brady would be doing the Bears a huge favor.
Nobody can argue that the best coaching addition of the past few years was the Minnesota Vikings adding Flores as their defensive coordinator. His defense has been a terror since his arrival, showcasing a level of diversity and aggression that leaves many quarterbacks befuddled. He is the primary reason Minnesota will avoid a losing season this year. So, try to imagine what will happen to them if he leaves. Replacing great coaches is almost impossible. The Vikings are almost sure to become weaker.
That would only give the Bears a greater chance to maintain their grip on the NFC North moving forward. Flores is one of the few coaches in the league who can give Ben Johnson trouble. Departing for the AFC would be such a blessing. It would be a tremendous assist from Tom Brady, and make up for his efforts to lure Johnson away from the Bears last offseason. Time will tell if the former QB can convince Raiders owner Mark Davis of the idea or if they get sidetracked by someone else.
