National Football League

Were Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski nearly Raiders?

Updated Aug. 21, 2022 3:35 p.m. ET

Could Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have ended up together with the Las Vegas Raiders? Dana White claims it almost happened.

The UFC President made the claim on an alternate broadcast for Saturday night's UFC 278 prelims, a show called "UFC 278 With The Gronks," which featured the NFL great, his father Gordon, his four brothers and many others, including White.

As far as the story of Brady and Gronk nearly joining forces with the Raiders, it was Gronkowski who pressed White to tell the story.

"Do I really tell this story right now?" White asked.

After Gronkowski gave the go-ahead, White went on to share the tale.

"I worked to put that deal together," White said. " … It was almost a done deal. And at the last minute, [head coach Jon] Gruden blew the deal up and said that he didn't want 'em. 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," White added. "So Las Vegas would've had Brady and Gronk the year that the Bucs won the Super Bowl, except Gruden blew the deal up."

Instead, Brady signed with Tampa Bay in March 2020, and the New England Patriots traded Gronkowski to the Bucs a month later. Together, they helped Tampa Bay win the ensuing Super Bowl, a 31-9 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I was never gonna tell that story until Gronk just said it," White said.

"And Dana," Gronkowski replied, "that is exactly what happened, and you just told the story."

Gronk added: "I'm glad it did not go through. It all worked out for the best, man. I'm glad we went to Tampa, man. It just worked out. I love that place."