The Las Vegas Raiders are one of six teams who need to find a new head coach after firing Antonio Pierce. With highly-coveted names like Ben Johnson in the available pool of candidates, the influence of minority owner Tom Brady could be enough to convince some big names to come to Vegas.
Johnson, who has served as the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, is the hottest name in the market this offseason. Just when it looked like he wouldn't give the Raiders' job the time of day, the GOAT is dropping in to possibly sweeten the deal if he wears silver and black.
According to Ian Rapoport, Brady is personally recruiting Johnson to come to the Raiders after their ill-fated attempt to compete with Pierce and GM Tom Telesco (who was also fired after one season) fell apart. The Brady sales pitch seems to have had a genuinely impressive effect on Johnson.
Peter Schrager added some gas to the fire, saying the idea of Johnson heading to the Raiders has been gaining steam over the last two days. Johnson picking the Raiders would be the strongest proof yet that having Brady in your corner is the best way
Tom Brady may influence Ben Johnson to take Raiders HC job
As a coordinator, Johnson has nothing left to prove. The Lions mastermind has turned Jared Goff into an elite quarterback, created the best running back tandem the game has seen in quite some time, and played a huge part in Detroit's turnaround. Johnson will have his pick of jobs in the offseason.
The Raiders job seems like a nightmare from the outside. On top of the fact that ownership will fire coaches very early, one-third of the team's schedule comes against the mighty Chiefs, revitalized Chargers, and upstart Broncos. There is no clear path to drafting a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
However, there are budding young stars like All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers and a solid defensive line anchored by Maxx Crosby. The Raiders will have nine figures worth of cap space they can use to build a winner, and the owners have shown they are willing to write big checks to attract top talent.
Johnson is the best candidate on the market, and there's a good chance that he will turn down openings with better quarterback situations (Jacksonville, Chicago) and spots with more cap space (New England) to come to the Raiders. The magnetic pull of Brady may be real after all.