When news broke on Saturday night that Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski nearly joined the Raiders as a package deal prior to the 2020 season before then-coach Jon Gruden nixed the deal, it led many to conclude that Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr was the mystery man Tom Terrific referred to as “that motherfucker” during a 2021 appearance on HBO’s The Shop: Uninterrupted.
Appearing on the show hot on the heels of winning the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to conclude the 2020 season, Brady talked about a mystery team passing on him during the offseason and instead keeping their incumbent quarterback. Predictably, he was not impressed with the decision. (And, considering he had just won the Super Bowl, he was right.)
“One of the teams, they weren’t interested at the very end. I was thinking, ‘You’re sticking with that motherfucker?’” Brady said. “When I look back, I’m like, there’s no fucking way I would’ve went to that team. But they said they didn’t want me. I know what that means, I know what that feels like. And I’m gonna go fuck you up because of that.”
At the time, it was thought Brady was talking about either Mitchell Trubisky (Bears), Ryan Tannehill (Titans) or old friend Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers). However, given that we now know Brady and Gronk would’ve been headed to Vegas were it not for Gruden, it certainly appears Carr was the mystery QB. And, for the record, Brady did fuck him up as the Bucs dismantled the Raiders 45-20 during the 2020 season with the seven-time Super Bowl winner completing 33-of-45 passes for 369 yards and four touchdowns.
Asked about the possibility that he was in fact the mofo that Brady was talking about during an appearance on Brother from Another last summer, Carr said he had a “good source” who informed him he was not the QB in the crosshairs. Carr also indicated that he’d want to fight Brady if he was.
“From what I know, it wasn’t me, which is good,” Carr said. “If it was, I’ve gotten in enough trouble trying to challenge people to fights. But, as a man, Tom, I know you got the rings, but if it’s not me then we’re good. What I heard, it wasn’t me. And so I’m good with that.”
Is Carr — who challenged ESPN First Take hosts Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman to a fight in 2019 after they questioned his character — still good? We may not get a chance to find out as the Raiders and Bucs don’t play this season.
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