​Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald recently appeared on The Dan Patrick Show, where Patrick pressed him about whether anyone helped him prep for the New England Patriots ahead of Super Bowl LX. Macdonald’s response has ignited controversy, centering on Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady. “John Harbaugh and I talked. He was great. I probably can’t mention one guy who really helped us out who had some conflict of interest,” Macdonald said with a smile and a laugh. Patrick then guessed former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, a suggestion Macdonald promptly refuted.
That exchange has fueled online speculation that the anonymous source Macdonald referenced could be Brady, the ex-Patriots quarterback. Earlier in February, Brady himself stirred controversy in New England by saying he didn’t have a rooting interest in the Super Bowl despite spending 20 seasons and winning six Lombardi trophies with the Patriots. At the time, some viewed Brady’s comment as an attempt to appear neutral in public while serving as a Fox game analyst. Yet with the Super Bowl airing on NBC, Brady did not need to position himself as a centrist. Considering Brady’s potential conflicts—his ties to the Patriots, his ownership role in another NFL team, and his work as a commentator—there are several reasons fans might suspect he was the undisclosed advisor Macdonald hinted at. Brady had already interviewed and agreed to hire former Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as the Raiders’ next head coach in the weeks leading up to the big game, which adds another layer to the speculation.
So perhaps Brady had a rooting interest after all, just not in the team most people would assume. In other news, philanthropic Fernando Mendoza and his family donated $500,000 to the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine to support multiple sclerosis research through the Mendoza Family Fund, bringing their total commitment to $940,000, as reported by Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Raiders owner Mark Davis also discussed his grass-first philosophy, explaining to The Los Angeles Times’ A.J. Perez that football should be played on grass for safety and authenticity, even if it meant higher costs; he emphasized his desire for the field to resemble a real game environment and to show grass stains. He noted that he wouldn’t have built a stadium without the grass capability once it became feasible.
On the football side, offensive wildcards are shaping up for the Raiders as they prepare for the season. Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton are slated for pivotal roles in the team’s passing game, but neither will be handed opportunities without earning them. According to S&P’s Tristen Kuhn, Jalen Nailor and Tre Tucker will also have crucial roles, and both players will be tested to prove they deserve involvement in the Raiders’ aerial attack.