You had to know something was up when the Raiders fired their head coach and general manager in succession.
The Ben Johnson sweepstakes juuuuuust might have a new favorite:
As the #Raiders HC search kicks into gear, one name to watch: #Lions OC Ben Johnson.The organization is said to be enamored with him, and Tom Brady’s personal touch has helped.My story: t.co/tW4Smk3Wit t.co/tW4Smk3Wit
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2025More words from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport:
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is a coveted candidate during another head-coaching cycle, with four interviews this past week and plenty of opportunities after Detroit finishes its postseason.
And while the coaching world can invite all sorts of craziness, sources say there is one particular team to keep an eye on for Johnson: the Las Vegas Raiders.
He has quickly emerged as the candidate to watch for Las Vegas, as the Raiders — in a search that prominently includes limited partner Tom Brady — are willing to wait as long as it takes to secure their potential future head coach. Jed Hughes of the firm Korn Ferry is assisting with that search, according to me and NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo.
Las Vegas is said to be enamored with Johnson, sources say.
As you might expect, the Raiders are not the only team believed to be smitten with the idea of hiring Ben Johnson as their new head coach. Johnson has already interviewed with the New England Patriots. Plus, he has upcoming virtual visits lined up with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears (duh). But the Raiders clearing the decks for a new GM and head coach could be alluring to any coach — especially Ben Johnson.
The Tom Brady factor could sway Ben Johnson to the Raiders
On the surface, the Raiders do not appear to be a plum job. The quarterback situation is a mess, there does not appear to be a clear path to an upgrade (unless the team executes a trade-up into a spot where it can take Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders), and the rest of the roster is in shambles. Vegas has been mostly uncompetitive since making the playoffs in 2021. But the Raiders are coming off a strong 2024 NFL Draft class and have Tom Brady in their corner to provide a PR boost. Between a Brock Bowers-led draft class and Brady’s presence as a minority owner, Vegas has some unique building blocks.
But is that enough to lure Ben Johnson?
I don’t see why not.
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesNFL insider Albert Breer has made it known (on multiple occasions) how much Ben Johnson values organizational alignment between the coach, general manager, and ownership. Currently, the only head coach vacancy he has interviewed for (or will interview for) that also has a GM opening is the Vegas gig. This could be the deal-maker for Johnson. Because even with a roster on shaky ground and a QBs room that is a big fat zero at the moment, I can envision the Raiders giving Johnson the bag and assuring him he’ll have all the time he needs to get it right with his hand-picked personnel guy and Tom Brady in his corner.
And I cannot understate Brady’s value here. Especially when one of the league’s top insiders mentions it so explicitly:
The Raiders loom as a fascinating one, again in part because of Brady, who became a limited partner this past October. He has been quietly researching coaching candidates for some time, speaking with his old coach Bill Belichick, per NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, and using his time pregame on the field to pick the brains of some of the game’s best. For instance, Brady called the Lions-Packers game in Week 9 for FOX Sports, which featured two of Las Vegas’ candidates (Johnson and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn).
It would be annoying if, in a year when anyone with common sense pointing out the obvious conflict of interest that existed with Brady broadcasting as a minority owner was ignored, the Raiders were able to swoop in and snag Ben Johnson. And it would be doubly annoying if Brady, after seeing a year’s worth of press critical of his performance in the booth, decided to leave broadcasting behind after just one year. We’ve got a ways to go before we cross that bridge. But I can see that bridge off in the distance. And it looks ominous.
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Perhaps I am reading too much between the lines. Or maybe I am simply protecting myself from the Bears not getting my preferred choice in this hiring process. But no matter how I slice it, it seems as if the Raiders might be the new favorites to land Ben Johnson. This would really take the wind out of the sails of Bears fans who ended the regular season with a win against the rival Green Bay Packers and began the offseason hoping their favorite team would land *THE* most highly sought-after head coach candidate in this hiring cycle. Stay tuned.
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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