Tom Brady path to owner-player gets big clarification

Hear that? It’s like a whisper, a faint tap, tap, tap. Could Tom Brady be preparing to be both owner and starting quarterback in the NFL?

And if you’re Tom Brady, is that not the most perfect way to approach a third football rebirth? As a retired person, Brady recently decided to buy a minority share of the Las Vegas Raiders. And you might be aware that Jimmy Garoppolo, who was signed to be the Raiders starting quarterback, can’t pass a physical right now. It seems so perfect that Garoppolo used to be Tom Brady’s backup with the Patriouts. So let 45-year-old Brady come out of the team’s board room to take some snaps.

Both TMZ Sports and ProFootballTalk sought clarification from the league on this specific Tom Brady scenario. Here’s what would need to happen. At least 75 percent of the NFL owners would need to be in favor of Brady buying part of the Raiders, which has been in the Davis family for a half century.

Then, there would be a phase two. If Brady wants to play for the Raiders as an owner, then the NFL would query the owners again. And again, he’d need 75 percent.

Now, Tom Brady, in no way, has indicated that he wants to return to playing football. However, he’s definitely interested in the ownership portion of sports. He also is buying part of the Las Vegas Aces, the defending champions of the WNBA. Brady can become football’s version of Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who owns a part of the Los Angeles Dodgers and belongs to the ownership group purchasing the Washington Commanders. Or maybe Brady will be like Michael Jordan, who owns the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets and the 23XI racing team in NASCAR. Brady could be most like hockey legend Mario Lemieux, who bought and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

ProFootballTalk, quoting a source “familiar” with the quarterback, said Brady doesn’t want to play again. He announced his retirement via video message posted to his social media accounts, Feb. 1. However, the source said Brady does get a kick out of the will he/won’t he dynamic. It’s good people still care, right?

So what are the Raiders going to do at quarterback? Garoppolo underwent foot surgery in March, days after he signed a contract with an injury waiver with the Raiders. This all stems from an injury he suffered last season when he was the starting quarterback with the 49ers. And San Fran also is having quarterback injury concerns, but that’s for another story.