For over a week, Ben Johnson was the name almost everyone was penciling in as the next head coach of the Raiders, but on Monday something shifted and the only firm reports since he took the Bears’ job have suggested he simply decided to coach Caleb Williams over Aidan O’Connell.
That logic makes sense, but somewhere in the interview process something abruptly changed because some of the best connected insiders in the industry were stunned when the news came out that Johnson was headed to Chicago.
Maybe Johnson woke up Monday and remembered the Raiders’ quarterback situation is one of the worst in the league, but there are signs that point to something bigger impacting his decision.
Sometimes there are details that reporters aren’t able to share and listening to NFL insider Josina Anderson on Tuesday, it seemed like she knows something about the Tom Brady dynamic in Las Vegas that ultimately turned away the team’s top head coaching candidate.
“Just remember that this is the third time, obviously, that Ben Johnson has been down the aisle, and even a league source said this morning that they thought that he was going to jump, just based on their feel of things, and that Ben Johnson really knew that he had to get the situation right,” Anderson reported on Tuesday.
“And that kind of leads me into my conversation relative to the vacancy with the Las Vegas Raiders, because part of the reason why I put out that article, not only from what I was just hearing from sources, but even my own assessment of the situation. When you just take a look at what at least I perceive to be Ben Johnson’s personality and the glare that is going to be on the Raiders team relative to the presence of minority owner Tom Brady, I just thought that that was going to be a lot,” Anderson continued.
“It’s not to obviously say that Tom Brady’s not successful. It’s not to say that Tom Brady, obviously we know he has the knowledge. He’s earned the right to have a major thumbprint on the situation there. But that could also leave people to think, have questions, have concerns. I thought that that would be something that would be a factor. Thus, you know why I wrote what I wrote at the time.”
Now take those comments from Anderson and hold them next to her statement on the situation Johnson signed up for in Chicago.
Despite the fact that Johnson didn’t get to bring his own general manager to Chicago, this quote (below) from Anderson clearly hints that Johnson is going to get more influence over the “big picture” in Chicago than he would have had with the Raiders.
“What I heard about this situation that I find very interesting is that Bears general manager Ryan Poles basically said everything he needed to say in order to make Ben Johnson feel comfortable about the situation. And it’s also my belief that Johnson feels confident enough in what will be his influence over the situation to ensure that he will have success in building the team in his image. So, basically his influence over the big picture, I think that’s the best way for me to word it, and just leave it at that.”
Safe to say, when you read or hear “best way for me to word it” and “just leave it at that” there is more to the story that someone isn’t able to divulge.
In this case, it seems like there is a dynamic developing in Las Vegas that involves Brady that ultimately pushed Johnson to the Bears.
When reports emerged on Monday morning that Johnson and Brady might not be on the same page with the team’s GM situation, it was an immediate red flag.
The Raiders had been in discussions with Johnson for over a week and he didn’t suddenly realize they didn’t have a quarterback on Monday morning.
It’s only a guess, but it feels a little like Johnson woke up on Monday and realized the GM in Las Vegas was probably going to be Brady’s good friend from college and the balance of power was going to be leaning away from the first-year head coach from day one.
The Raiders are continuing their search for a head coach this week and a report on Monday indicated Pete Carroll is the current favorite to get the job.
x: @raidersbeat
So who gives a rats *** about this dude anyway? He’s not a Raider, end of story.
So Brady ruined our chance at Kkjnson because Brady wanted to pick the GM, who wasn’t Johnson’s guy?
Why is Tom Brady calling the shots when he has ZERO experience at running an organization? He has never done this before.
Why trust him to make the decisions? What a clown show. They should have never fired Telesco.
Brady is a clown. If he’s as good as evaluating talent as he is a broadcaster, we’ll never win another Super Bowl again.
Now media is reporting that Pete Carroll is the frontrunner. Pete Carroll! A 73 year old!
This has got to be a bad joke.
If Pete Carroll is the so called front runner then why haven’t the raiders already reached out to Carroll and set up a second interview. I honestly don’t believe Pete Carroll will be our next HC. I also believe it’s because he doesn’t really want the job. We’ll probably hire someone that Raider Nation isn’t going to like. I don’t get why the raiders haven’t set up more interviews since Ben Johnson took the bears job. I believe nobody wants the job and the raiders are having a hard time finding someone to take it. Being a raiders fan gets frustrating at times because of how they do things and the decisions they make. This organization is a joke around the league. Other organizations behind closed doors probably talk mad ish about us I bet.
this all is not wrong :
1. the Raiders are a punchline in the modern NFL and for good reason
2. Mark D is a horrible owner who knows nothing about winning and tries to surround himself with knowledgeable football people of which he doesn’t have the ability to recognize because he isn’t one himself. So after getting his face kicked in for the better part of the 21st century he turns to his bully a asks for help. give me a break.
3. Pete Carrol was a good coach but is not a good solution to this sh#t show, and the one possible candidate that may have had the ability to effect the type of organizational reform needed took a closer look and said no thanks.
4. If MD and TB12 think a shinny new facility and 5 ring wearing minority owner is a big enough sell that they’re going to be able to lure top talent to the freaking LV…. that myth has been exposed and we as fans should prepare for a laundry list of stale 2nd tier ex PATS to come in , fail and quickly be shown the door as the franchise moves farther and farther from its glory days.
I’ve dedicated 40 years of attention and fandom to this team, endured them leaving, returning and leaving once more. delt with the decades of futility with the hope of a resurgence all to see the bowlcut hand the keys to this pric*, well shame on you Davis !
So far, the start to the Room Brady era has not been particularly encouraging.