UFC president Dana White caused a stir earlier this year when he mentioned a plan was in place to bring Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020, but the deal was nixed last minute.
On Monday, White appeared on the “Manningcast” broadcast of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ game against the New Orleans Saints and was peppered with Brady questions including one about the possibility of the NFL superstar going to the Raiders.
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UFC president Dana White reacts to a fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season six week nine at UFC APEX on Sept. 20, 2022 in Las Vegas.
(Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
White doubled down, adding that he was surprised Gronkowski brought it up on a UFC simulcast.
“The deal was in the works for both of those guys to come play for the Raiders,” White told Peyton and Eli Manning.
White made the revelation in August when he joined ESPN’s “GronkCast.” White said it was Jon Gruden who nixed the plan.
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Tom Brady, #12, and Rob Gronkowski, #87 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, react after a touchdown during the third quarter in the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Dec. 26, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
(Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
“I worked to put that deal together for Brady and Gronk to come to the Raiders. And it was almost a done deal. And at the last minute, Gruden blew the deal up and said that he didn’t want [Brady],” White said. “And all hell broke loose, man. It was crazy and Brady was already looking at houses, and it wasn’t being said yet that Gronk was coming. So Las Vegas would have had Brady and Gronk the year that the Bucs won the Super Bowl, except Gruden blew the deal up.”
White said at the time more happened behind the scenes, but he had no plans of telling the story until Gronkowski mentioned it.
Gronkowski said he was happy it did not work out and was happy to get traded to the Buccaneers from the Patriots and come out of retirement.
Raiders team owner Mark Davis reacted in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
FILE – In this Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021 file photo, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski, #87, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, #12, celebrate together after the NFL Super Bowl LV football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Tampa, Florida.
(AP Photo/Steve Luciano, File)
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“I heard about [White’s comments]. That was what — two to three years ago or something? I don’t know, man. Talk to Dana. I remember that Tom Brady went to Tampa Bay. That’s basically what I remember. I have no idea. Dana has the stories. I love Dana. He is a great, great promoter. Why would this make me upset? I was busy watching [the Raiders beat Miami 15-13] and the basketball game,” Davis told the newspaper.
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