Former Patriots Coach Candidate Addresses Tom Brady Theory

Tom Brady reportedly made a quick pivot once he learned Mike Vrabel was set on returning to New England.

Brady, who apparently was told to not bother setting up a meeting with Vrabel in Las Vegas since the latter was committed to the Patriots, might have his sights set on Ben Johnson. The legendary quarterback and Raiders minority reportedly “has been making a personal appeal to Johnson,” arguably the most coveted coach candidate with Vrabel off the market.

Las Vegas interviewed Johnson last week, and as fate would have it, the Lions offensive coordinator and Brady will be in the same building Saturday. Detroit is gearing up for its playoff opener against the Washington Commanders at Ford Field, where Brady will be on the call for FOX’s coverage of the NFC divisional-round game.

However, Brady and Johnson talking shop Saturday would be a violation of NFL rules. So the latter made sure to nix that theory when he met with the media this week.

“I know nothing of that nature,” Johnson told reporters, per Sports Illustrated. “I met him before the Packers game, on the field I saw him for a second in pregame. That’s the first time I ever met him.”

Johnson was eligible to interview with teams virtually last week when the top-seeded Lions were on bye. But with the wild-card round now over, the popular coach candidate won’t be able to speak with teams again until Detroit’s playoff run is over. And with the Lions potentially bound for Super Bowl LIX, their journey might not end until early February.

Time will tell how Brady and the Raiders handle a tough situation. Las Vegas could remain patient and wait for Johnson’s schedule to open, but by doing so, the franchise could miss out on other worthwhile candidates.