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UFC's Dana White Says Tom Brady Will Play with Raiders If He Leaves Patriots

Tyler Conway@jtylerconwayX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJanuary 19, 2020

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 18: (L-R) Mark Davis and Tom Brady attend the UFC 246 event at T-Mobile Arena on January 18, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Jeff Bottari/Getty Images

While there has been speculation about Tom Brady leaving the New England Patriots for months, few have been able to come up with a viable destination.

UFC President Dana White thinks Brady would look good in black and silver.

White said he believes Brady will be a Raider next season if he and the Patriots can't agree on a new contract.

"If that dude is not playing in Boston, he's playing here," White said after Saturday's UFC 246 card in Las Vegas, per Arash Markazi of ESPN. 

Brady was in attendance for the pay-per-view card and was pictured talking to Raiders owner Mark Davis. White said he believes his Brady-to-Las Vegas theory "has legs," per Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The Raiders don't appear to be a great football fit, aside from potentially needing a quarterback. While running back Josh Jacobs showed promise as a rookie, the receiving corps ranks near the bottom of football in terms of talent.

If Brady leaves the Patriots this offseason, it's presumed he would do so for a better chance at winning. The Raiders do not provide that on paper.

From an organizational perspective, Las Vegas has its own reasons to pursue Brady—many of which are marketing related. Brady would instantly give the relocated franchise a recognizable face to attract season ticket holders. Coach Jon Gruden is the most famous person in the locker room at the moment, and few fans leave their house to see a coach.

However, the best way to build a sustainable franchise in a new market is winning. It's unclear if Brady would give the Raiders a better chance on Sundays than Derek Carr. Brady clearly began showing signs of decline in 2019, finishing with his lowest quarterback rating (88.0) since 2013.

Acquiring a middling (at best) quarterback who turns 43 in August may make headlines, but the football team would probably be better off hoping Carr performs better with an improved receiving corps.