Matthew Stafford trade rumors: Raiders’ Tom Brady did not host Rams QB on recruiting trip, agent says

The Matthew Stafford trade sweepstakes are unofficially underway as NFL teams are showing interest in the Los Angeles Rams quarterback. One team eyeing the star veteran is the Las Vegas Raiders.

Recently reported as a suitor for Stafford, Raiders minority owner Tom Brady was in direct communication with Stafford’s camp, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Brady and Stafford recently ran into each other, unplanned, at a ski resort in Montana, according to the NFL Network Wednesday afternoon. 

The meeting was reportedly “not extensive or in-depth” and didn’t involve the seven-time Super Bowl champion hosting or recruiting Stafford, despite earlier reports. Brady’s longtime agent, Don Yee, even confirmed that reports of Brady hosting Stafford on any sort of recruiting trip are false.

“I know that reporters sometimes make mistakes in their haste, but this story’s inaccurate,” Yee told NFL Media.

All indications are that Brady has taken a prominent role in the Raiders’ new regime, including with the coaching search that led to Pete Carroll’s hiring. While that likely includes helping out on the hunt to find the franchise’s next quarterback, his camp is relaying that they aren’t going so far as hosting potential signal callers like Stafford on recruiting trips. Still, that doesn’t disguise the need at the position for new new general manager John Spytek.

“I don’t really want to talk about other teams’ players and get in trouble in my first press conference here,” Spytek told reporters Tuesday, when asked about Stafford. “But I would just say that if there’s an opportunity for any player that we think can add value to the Raiders, we’ll look into it.”

The Rams, to be clear, prefer to have Stafford back as their starter in 2025, according to NFL Media. At the same time, they’re hesitant to commit big money to an aging signal-caller, whereas Stafford reportedly wants a pay raise coming off another playoff run in 2024. As a result, the Rams have allowed Stafford’s representation to speak with other NFL teams regarding a potential contract, and Stafford’s wife, Kelly, has publicly acknowledged the possibility the veteran quarterback will soon play elsewhere.

Besides the Raiders, the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers have also expressed interest in acquiring Stafford, per Sports Illustrated.