In a city where gambling chips fly quicker than checkpoints, it made sense that Tom Brady’s new chapter started in Las Vegas. No, he isn’t taking Jimmy G’s place in the fourth quarter or calling plays. But he is subtly influencing the Raiders’ future, but not in the manner that most supporters had in mind when they first saw the words ‘Brady’ and ‘Raiders’ together.

And you know why Pete Carroll chose the Raiders? Well, looks like Brady had to do something in that, too. “When Tom joined up, that really made a difference to me,” Carroll admitted. And that’s not a throwaway quote. This is the same Pete Carroll who coached 313 NFL games, won a Super Bowl, and basically turned Russell Wilson from an underdog into a contract leverage king. Yet even he says talking philosophy with Tom is a “thrill.” That’s not ownership. That’s influence.

Now the man who was once the villain of Raider Nation—the guy behind that Tuck Rule—is suddenly the inner-circle whisperer of the Silver and Black. But how deep does this rabbit hole go? For the record, Brady is not entering draft war rooms or grabbing a headset. Brady said this week, while promoting the Hall of Excellence, alongside Jim Gray, “Well, I’m just a limited partner, so Mark’s the boss…And then Pete does his job and Spy does his job and, I think, we trust them to make the right decisions. I’m there as a great sounding board for anything they want to do.” Just a “sounding board,” he says—while also showing up at pressers, influencing personnel, and launching a Hall of Excellence that doubles as a visual flex of his entire football existence. Translation? He’s not micromanaging, but his phone is never on silent.

Seven rings, Bill Belichick’s infamous play-call sheet from the Tuck Rule Game, and even his old draft card as pick No. 199 are on display. Tom Brady’s not micromanaging. He’s monument-building. Trying to build that winner mentality this offseason. “Winning games in September starts with what happens in February, March and April, when no one’s really watching…And our goal is to, you know, win a lot of football games. You’ve got to work hard at it, and it’s all earned…it’s going to be up to the guys and their daily commitment to doing the right things.”

But don’t get it twisted—he’s not playing fantasy GM. He’s playing chess. Brady says he’s not involved in daily decisions. Yet somehow, his fingerprints are all over everything from Geno Smith to Devin White to the No. 6 overall pick Ashton Jeanty. He’s “loved” his first offseason. As he continued, “Just trying to contribute in the ways that I can to help the team be the best they can be, on and off the field. We’ve got a great group of people. I love Mark. He’s done an incredible job getting the team to Vegas, getting the stadium built.” Translation: He’s not running the ship, but he definitely helped draw the map. Because let’s be honest: You don’t go from retirement rumors to leading the Raiders without a little divine intervention—or at least a GOAT whispering in your ear.

Why Pete Carroll’s Raiders reboot has Tom Brady written all over it

Raiders head coach Pete Carroll confirmed the behind-the-scenes connection. He told Seattle Sports 710 that Brady has been a consistent voice, even without physically showing up. “He hasn’t been out here but one time since we’ve been here, but we’ve talked a ton of times, and talking philosophy with Tom, you can imagine what a thrill it is because he’s the all-time competitor,” Carroll said. “It’s not just how he played. It’s how he lived, and how he sees the world and how he attacks every opportunity he has. We’re so eye-to-eye on that. It’s been a blast. It’s really been fun. The challenge of it is to bring that mentality and connect it to our entire franchise.” So, Tom Brady isn’t running the Raiders. But he’s definitely not just hanging around for the free gear either.

And it’s not just Pete singing Brady’s praises. GM John Spytek, a Michigan buddy of TB12’s, reportedly holds Brady in the highest regard. According to The Athletic’s Dan Pompei, Brady “endorsed” the Geno Smith trade and was “on board” with drafting Cam Miller in the sixth round. “We’re trying to infuse Tom’s mentality,” Carroll added. “Because it’s so good, so unique, so one of a kind.”

So yeah, Brady might not be sending faxes or drawing up blitz packages—but he’s in every room that matters. From offseason game plans to draft-day decisions, his voice is clearly echoing. And now the Raiders are banking on that voice to help pull them out of a 4-13 spiral and back into postseason relevance.