MMQB: Ben Johnson Wasn't Going to Interview with Raiders Before Tom Brady Sold Him

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson reportedly wasn't considering the Las Vegas Raiders in his pursuit of a head coaching position at first, but advice from legendary former quarterback and new Raiders partial owner Tom Brady helped change his mind.

According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Johnson's "initial plan was to take three interviews" with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots, but "Brady's sell job, through intermediaries, made the difference."

Brady, who is also the lead NFL analyst for Fox, was approved to become a limited partner with the Raiders on a 5 percent ownership stake in October. Breer noted that while the 47-year-old isn't making the franchise his sole focus, his influence has already been felt and played a part in the firing of former head coach Antonio Pierce.

"Now, to be clear, I don't think it's Brady's intention to be there day to day—his family being in Florida full-time will likely prevent that for the time being. But I also don't think he's going to put his name on anything that he doesn't feel like he can fully put his name behind," Breer stated. "It's been well established that Brady wasn't wild about the way things operated with Antonio Pierce, which is one reason why Pierce isn't there anymore."

Brady's business partner, Tom Wagner, also purchased a 5 percent stake in the franchise, and Silver Lake CEO Egon Durban bought 7.5 percent of the team. Breer pointed out that Brady will have the "chance to realistically tell prospective coaches, executives and players that a new day is coming for the Raiders, and the shoestring budgets that could sometimes result from a lack of cash on hand are gone."

Still, the Raiders are facing important questions this offseason, as they need a new general manager and a long-term answer at quarterback. Johnson and other candidates could choose to seek a situation with more stability.

However, if the Raiders are able to land Johnson or another top option, Brady's presence will likely be a key reason why.