Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion whose illustrious playing career concluded with a playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys in January, emerged back into the football scene as a minority owner for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Brady took a moment to share a pregame message with Jimmy Garoppolo and the rest of the Raiders’ quarterback lineup.

Despite Brady’s shift to a new role, his historical connection to the game remained palpable. The narrative of the Raiders’ 40-year Super Bowl championship drought was punctuated by Brady’s involvement. Their last title victory dates back to Marcus Allen’s MVP performance in Super Bowl XVIII. Brady, in his days with the New England Patriots, played a role in extending this dry spell when his team triumphed over the Raiders in the infamous 2001 divisional round, a game forever remembered for the controversial “Tuck Rule.”

As the game day unfolded, the Raiders took a positive stride by reaching an agreement with running back Josh Jacobs on a lucrative 1-year, $12 million deal. This development bolstered a roster already boasting notable names such as Garoppolo, Jacobs, Davante Adams, Maxx Crosby, Chandler Jones, and Marcus Peters.