Derek Carr sidesteps Raiders, Tom Brady question after rumor catches fire

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr wanted no part of a question about a rumor Tom Brady was potentially going to join the team in 2020 before Jon Gruden nixed the plan.

UFC president Dana White made mention of the plan during the UFC 278 broadcast Saturday night. 

He said he was ready to help bring Brady and Rob Gronkowski to the Raiders before both players eventually joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Carr was asked Tuesday about the rumor and whether he was “immune” to those types of stories.

“By now, I would hope so. It is what it is. For me, I didn’t even hear about it. We actually had, within the building, someone lost a family member. So I was so immersed in that and just talking to that person,” Carr explained to reporters. 

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“It was a moment to really put things in perspective, it really doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, anything I say will just be blasted out there, so I’m just going to completely remove myself and just keep trying to play football. It’s been nice just answering football questions. Hopefully, there’s no more drama in the city, that’s what I hope.”

White was on ESPN with the Gronkowski family and said Gruden didn’t accept the proposal.

“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 explained. 

“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.”

Raiders team owner Mark Davis was also asked by the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the potential of that deal.

“I heard about [White’s comments]. That was, what, two to three years ago or something?” Davis told the newspaper. “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.”