It has been known for a while that Tom Brady has been calling the shots in Las Vegas, but what hasn’t been discussed as much is the limited role of Raiders GM John Spytek.
It has been rumored that Spytek has been Brady’s voice in the Vegas personnel department (at least when it comes to the biggest decisions) and Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter said this week he thinks the organization should lean more on Spytek going forward.
“I don’t think he’s been allowed to lead enough,” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
On the same day, league insider Tony Pauline posted a report saying Spytek wasn’t the power broker in the building who made the decision to hire Pete Carroll.
“According to sources, Spytek did not have much say in the hiring of Carroll,” Pauline reported on Monday.
Pauline also said the Ashon Jeanty pick in 2025 didn’t come from Spytek’s corner of the building.
“Holding the sixth pick of the 2025 draft, the Raiders selected record-setting running back Ashton Jeanty of Boise State, a Carroll pick,” Pauline said.
“I’m told there was pushback on the selection, as many in and around the organization believed a lineman was the way to go. Defensive tackle Mason Graham was a name making the rounds, as he was seen as a replacement for Wilkins, who the team knew they would be without in 2025. The Raiders had no opportunity to draft Graham, as the Browns selected him with the fifth choice.”
Based on Pauline’s report and others, it sounds like Spytek found himself sandwiched in the Vegas power structure between Brady and Carroll this season and was essentially neutered of the typical responsibilities held by an NFL general manager.
Carroll may be leaving town (as in fired by the Raiders) in the next week or so, but every indication is that Spytek’s job is safe – which shouldn’t be a surprise considering the Raiders hired him to a five-year deal 11 months ago.
For what it’s worth, Pauline has proven to be a very good source on the Silver & Black going back to his reporting in the offseason on Christian Wilkins.
Pauline was the first to report on Wilkins’ foot injury that ultimately led to the veteran defensive tackle’s release in July.
Going back to the Spring, national and local insiders around the team downplayed Pauline’s reporting on Wilkins, but as it turned out, nothing about Wilkins’ situation ended up being more benign than what was being shared in the news.
x: @raidersbeat
I’m leery of reports like this but that does fit in with Spytek coming from Tampa where they addressed the lines early. Of course the bigger issue is Brady. Gee who could’ve predicted this?
Too many cooks spoil the broth. Brady needs to vamoose.
Brady needs to gtfo. He doesn’t have a clue when it comes to evaluating talent.
And he’s no “attraction” for talent. Even Mark is better at not meddling. Del Rio even that Mark was up front with him that he wanted to get Gruden back as HC & he’s offered no ill will towards him.
I’d rather have Mark run things than Brady & that says something
Brady grew up in the bay area as a 49er fan. That means by default he disliked the Raiders from early on. John Elway as a good qb and horrible at being a GM. Don’t give me any peyton manning bs – that took no skill at all.
Tom Brady is not a Raider. It makes me sick to see him wearing Raider gear. Al Davis is spinning in his grave. I would not put it past Brady to try to totally decimate the Raiders and he is off to a good start.
He’s probably not trying to sabotage the team on purpose. It’s just that he’s not qualified to call the shots for the organization. He has zero experience building a team. ONLY an idiot owner like Mark could agree to such nonsense. A great QB doesn’t qualify one to lead an NFL team.
An organization like no other! The end results surely show this. Thanks Mark!!! They better get their shyte together as this is probably our most important draft in recent memory.
If you have eyes and any football knowledge you could see this from the start. Tom should’ve never been allowed to buy any part of the Raiders at any discount just because he’s Tom effing Brady and Mark’s an idiot. And then to allow Brady to have a voice on who to hire at GM,HC,OC and even DC was another terrible decision by Mark. How does someone have access to a lifetime of Al freaking Davis and not have any football knowledge? So now we’re in another FUBAR situation. I’d be surprised if any decent young coordinator would come to work in this environment. Unless Mark tells Tom to shut up the organization will continue to be terrible.
Completely agree. Mark & Brady need to go back to their escorts.
Been saying this from day 1. Mark is the kid nobody wants to play with. Brady cozies up to him and Mark loves it. He allows Brady now to do whatever he wants. There is now in hell Al would have ever allowed him near the building. It is an absolute disgrace to see him wearing Raiders gear. Now because of idiot Mark we are stuck with him. I’m willing to bet my house Brady wants to transform the Raiders into something else and it won’t be good. God help us.