Fans of the Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders have always harbored some ill will toward legendary quarterback Tom Brady. Not only did he reign supreme in the AFC for nearly two decades, but the Tuck Rule Game has been hard for most fans to fully get past, and understandably so.
However, the tune of Raider Nation changed a bit when it was rumored that Brady wanted to buy a minority stake in the franchise. Although skeptical, fans couldn't deny his football acumen, and when he was eventually approved, supporters of the team saw it as a great benefit or advantage.
Through a year of his minority ownership, however, the Raiders haven't exactly blossomed. Though there are varying reports about how involved he really is, it's clear that he has at least some level of significant sway in the front office. But he's largely been absolved of blame for Las Vegas' struggles.
Tom Brady is frustrated with Raiders' problems, but may also be to blame
That is, until The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported a bit of a bombshell on Wednesday morning. She noted that, in the aftermath of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's firing, Brady is growing a bit frustrated with the Raiders.
"Quarterbacks coach Greg Olson has taken over as the offensive coordinator in Las Vegas after the team fired Chip Kelly on Sunday," Russini wrote. "I’m told minority owner Tom Brady was a big advocate of bringing in Kelly to run the offense, and he has shared with some people close to him his disappointment in the team’s overall performance. His frustrations go beyond the offense, too."
Well, on the one hand, his frustration is warranted and understood. Las Vegas has been a complete letdown to the fan base as well, as nobody saw this brutal a campaign coming when the organization made a handful of major offseason moves.
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On the other hand, however, fans are upset with Brady for being a Chip Kelly advocate in the first place. Yes, on paper, he seemed like he'd be a good hire. But Kelly was a disaster for the Raiders' offense, and his being relieved of duties one year into a three-year deal worth $18 million says it all.
Fans are also wondering what Russini means when she says that Brady's "frustrations go beyond the offense, too." Does this mean that the minority owner is just upset with the special teams and defense? Or does it mean that he thinks Kelly wasn't the only letdown among the team's leadership?
The Raiders already have a lot to figure out this offseason, most importantly the quarterback position, but they've also got to upgrade the majority of their starters. That is quite the undertaking for a second-year general manager in John Spytek.
Las Vegas will also have to appease its minority owner this offseason, which is easier said than done. Raider Nation has just finally started to stomach Brady in the Silver and Black and begun to clamor for him to fully take over for Mark Davis, who they still believed to be responsible for the team's failures.
Yet, Russini's intel about his wanting to hire Kelly has made fans second-guess that, and suddenly, Raiders fans are growing furious with Tom Brady again.