Could Tom Brady eventually become the controlling owner of the Raiders?

For many Raiders fans, it's hard to believe that their former nemesis, NFL legend Tom Brady, is now a minority owner of the Raiders franchise.

But what if Brady one day became the controlling owner of the Raiders?

Vic Tafur of The Athletic says it is far too early to say if that will happen, but it is a possible outcome in the future. Tafur notes that Raiders owner Mark Davis has submitted a formal succession plan to the NFL as required, but the details are not known. Davis is the only child of Al Davis, the late, legendary owner of the franchise, and Davis is single with no children of his own and therefore no obvious successor.

Find more insights from Tafur on this topic here.

If he were to broadcast for the next five or six years – or even the entire 10 years of his Fox contract – he could slowly learn more about the business side, especially in the offseason when he doesn't have broadcast commitments. As Davis suggested, over time this could lead to him becoming Davis' so-called “football guy.” From there, he could work toward acquiring a larger stake and eventually becoming majority owner.

This is clearly a long-term and speculative scenario, but I agree that it is possible. In fact, it reminds me of Al Davis himself taking control of the franchise. After a successful stint as a Raiders coach and AFL manager, Davis initially bought a 10 percent stake in the Raiders and gradually took control of the team.

Given his history with the Raiders, particularly the infamous tuck rule game in 2002 that prevented the Raiders from advancing to the playoffs and helped launch the Patriots dynasty, it's strange that Brady is a minority owner. It seems inconceivable that he could one day control the Raiders, but pieces of this possible outcome are falling into place.

Brady and Al Davis were opponents as pros, but Brady has a will to win that rivals Davis' legendary “Just win, baby” mantra. It's ironic, but Brady could be exactly what the Raiders need to become a factor in the NFL again.

This could be difficult for many fans to bear. However, if the franchise can win Super Bowls with Brady, all Raiders fans would be excited about that scenario.

But as Tafur notes, Brady's potential majority ownership is still many years away. In the meantime, Brady will help the Raiders find a franchise quarterback while general manager Tom Telesco and coach Antonio Pierce try to build a winner with Mark Davis at the helm.