Inside the Allegiant Stadium locker room, Jonah Laulu led Las Vegas with his own Christmas carol. It was the night of December 22 and, according to coach Antonio Pierce, “it was long overdue.”
'Raiders!' The defensive tackle shouted, before his teammates repeated the one-word war cry. The most wonderful time of the year. And, as Pierce said, “the best feeling in the world.”
How the mood had changed a few days earlier, when the Falcons condemned Las Vegas to a 10th straight loss and any shred of Christmas cheer had evaporated from the Raiders locker room.
That's what a win can do, and Las Vegas hasn't enjoyed many of those of late. The win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 22 was only the Raiders' third all season. And the first since Tom Brady was confirmed as co-owner of the team.
However, there are two crumbs of consolation for the legendary quarterback: no team can be relegated from the NFL. And, on this side of the pond, it can pay to lose.
So at least his first season as a football owner is guaranteed to have a better ending than his introduction to football.
Mark Davis has said Tom Brady will have a “big voice” as minority owner of the Raiders
Earlier this month, Las Vegas ended a long losing streak with a win over the Jaguars.
In the summer of 2023, the seven-time Super Bowl champion bought Birmingham City. He became a minority owner and later joined the fans in the pub. A few months later, they were relegated to the third division of English football.
The Raiders were 2-4 when their lengthy bid to join the Las Vegas ownership group was finally approved in mid-October.
Since then? Antonio Pierce's team is 1-8. They have a lot of talent, including DE Maxx Crosby and rookie tight end Brock Bowers. However, heading into their penultimate game against the Saints, the Raiders (3-12) find themselves in last place in the AFC West.
The victory over Jacksonville ended the NFL's longest active losing streak. But it hurt the Raiders' chances of landing the No. 1 overall pick in next year's draft – and made Brady's job a little harder.
In England, the NFL legend owns just 3.3 percent of Birmingham and his role is largely ceremonial. He has no voting rights and no obvious responsibilities beyond attracting easy PR.
In Las Vegas, the 47-year-old's share is just 5 percent. But shortly before the Falcons came to town, Raiders owner Mark Davis confirmed that Brady will have a “big say” in shaping the team's future.
They talk all the time, and Davis recently praised Brady's competitive spirit, his attention to detail and his communication.
Within a half-decade, Brady is expected to live in Las Vegas and run the franchise's football arm.
Brady has a long-standing relationship with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders
“Hopefully we can learn a lot from (Brady),” Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson told Mail Sport.
As someone told Mail Sport? “Tom has a strong voice in everything in this organization.” From the 'toilet paper they will buy' to the players they acquire. There aren't many NFL legends who have the attention of a billionaire like Brady with Davis.
“It's inspiring to have someone considered the GOAT on your team,” cornerback Nate Hobbs told Mail Sport after the Falcons game. Kicker Daniel Carlson agreed.
“It's great to have him as part of the ownership. (He has) a wealth of knowledge and, as a player, he just knows how to win championships. Hopefully we can learn a lot of things from him.”
There's one huge job at the top of Brady's to-do list: helping select the team's next quarterback. Aidan O'Connell, Desmond Ridder and Gardner Minshew have played under center for Las Vegas this season. Neither has consolidated his place as a starter.
Where is the answer in a draft class headlined by Colorado standout Shedeur Sanders? Will Pierce be in charge of leading this team through the 2025 season? How will Brady's $375 million streaming deal with Fox affect his role? Those are some of the questions the NFL legend must ponder heading into the new year.
Two years ago, Brady was supposed to be the quarterback of the Raiders. After 45 years, he came very close to moving to Las Vegas after Derek Carr was fired.
“He was already coming,” as one source said. But then the move hit a snag – through no fault of the Raiders – and soon the quarterback retired.
The team ended up with Jimmy Garoppolo under center and now Brady in the front office.
Coach Antonio Pierce's future is uncertain after a disappointing season for Las Vegas
Cam Ward (Miami) is another of the promising quarterbacks who will enter the 2025 NFL draft
But some decisions can't wait that long. Not when the Raiders find themselves in familiar territory: They need a new quarterback.
Brady's relationship with Shedeur Sanders dates back to the young man's high school days. And then in 2022, before following his father to Colorado, the quarterback signed an NIL deal with Brady's clothing brand.
Is it any wonder some feel the 47-year-old has “painted himself into a corner” heading into the 2025 draft? If the opportunity arises, how can Las Vegas not select Sanders, given Brady's relationship with the young quarterback, given that Deion Sanders has publicly urged Pierce to draft both Shedeur and his brother Shilo, given that the fans want it now?
Well, many within the NFL are said to be skeptical that the Colorado star is even worth a first-round pick. Especially when there are other quarterback prospects available like Cam Ward (Miami) and Dillon Gabriel (Oregon). It's a “very difficult” balance for Brady to achieve.
Las Vegas also walks a tightrope with Pierce. The players are said to “love” the head coach, despite the team's dismal record. Of course, there's a mitigation: This is Pierce's first full season in charge and his roster has been decimated by injuries. It's not the coach's fault either that his options are quarterback.
So Brady needs to be careful. It was his former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels who was fired by Las Vegas before Davis appointed Pierce. Even more important? Raiders fans hate the Patriots.
Brady was only in his second season when, in January 2002, the Raiders visited New England for the AFC Divisional playoff game. That day, in the middle of a snowstorm, the quarterback benefited from, in the league's own words, “one of the most controversial officiating decisions in NFL history.”
Raiders fans have long disliked the Patriots following an incident involving Brady in 2002.
Davis, the billionaire owner of Las Vegas, is expected to let Brady run the football operation.
With Oakland leading and time running out, Brady was sacked. He fumbled the ball and the Raiders recovered it. But then the referees ruled the pass incomplete “because Brady's arm had been moving forward before returning the ball to his body.” It was known as the “fold rule.”
The Patriots won in overtime before winning the first of six Super Bowls under Bill Belichick. The 'double rule' was abolished in 2013, but Raiders fans haven't forgotten that day.
“Every time they've tried to bring a Patriot here, they've failed,” says one source. And so the sentiment among some NFL owners? If Brady fires a popular coach and signs a quarterback who doesn't work out, fans will turn against him.
Of course, Davis backs his plan and his man. The owner visited the locker room after the victory over the Jaguars. He wanted to congratulate his players after they finally ended their losing streak.
“It's been a pretty tough 10 weeks,” punter AJ Cole told Mail Sport. Now it's up to Davis and Brady to make sure they get rid of this habit for good.
“I know Mark is doing a great job building a team around him to help him figure out how to win some football games here,” Carlson said. “Because losing sucks.”