Tom Brady burst onto the scene breaking the Raiders' hearts, and he reportedly could do the same before he rides off into the sunset.
The New England Patriots quarterback can become a free agent after this season, leaving some -- including ESPN's Adam Schefter -- to recently speculate that Brady is going to join a new team this offseason. If the 42-year-old is going to play his 21st NFL season outside of New England, "several sources who know him well" told CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora that the Los Angeles Chargers "would have a unique appeal to Brady on multiple levels."
Brady, whose Patriots eliminated the Raiders in the infamous "Tuck Rule" game during the 2001 playoffs, would be a major splash as the Chargers move into their shared stadium with the Rams in Inglewood. The Chargers could have an opening under center, as 37-year-old Philip Rivers also is set to become a free agent this offseason.
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Rivers and the Chargers have struggled this season, falling to 2-5 last week after their third straight loss last week.
Though Brady is as close to a lock as probable Pro Football Hall of Famers go, it's fair to wonder how much he'd have left to give if he left the Patriots. His passer rating (94.8) and QBR (59.4) are down for the third consecutive season, as are his yards per attempt (7.1). Those might seem like insignificant quibbles for the QB of a team who is 7-0 as of this writing, but an all-time defense wouldn't make the cross-country move with Brady.
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There also is a question of whether Brady plays at all next season. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport noted Sunday that Brady's public comments about his future have been far more uncertain this time around, and people around him have said he is focused entirely on playing out the 2019 season. La Canfora's sources told him the same thing but said Brady would be intrigued by LA if he decided to play next season.
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The Raiders will have a new home in 2020, as the team completes its long-planned move to Las Vegas. If Brady's new home is in the AFC West, even a move to the desert won't let the Silver and Black outrun their past.