It’s not uncommon for executives, coaches and players to represent multiple teams over the course of their careers. Quite the contrary, in fact. It happens all the time.
But that’s not to say the Week 1 matchup between the Patriots and Raiders isn’t at least a little bit unique. A Raiders minority owner, you may have heard, is a Patriots Hall of Famer while New England’s offensive coordinator hasn’t stood on an NFL sideline since he was fired by Las Vegas.
Simply put, there will be some familiarity on the field at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
First, those who currently represent the Patriots:
Josh McDaniels, OC
McDaniels said he didn’t put much thought into it when he saw the Raiders were the first team on the schedule. Whether you believe him or not, there’s no denying it’s unique for him to return to the NFL sideline and immediately face the franchise that fired him midway through the 2023 campaign. After two seasons as the head coach in Sin City, McDaniels opted not to wear a headset last season.
“Josh knows that team pretty well,” former Patriots quarterback Brian Hoyer said on The Quick Snap Podcast. “He’ll know, ‘We need to make sure we take care of Maxx Crosby on the edge.'”
Robert Spillane, LB
Spillane is in a similar situation as he’ll face his former team, and the team that no longer wanted him, less than six months after learning that news. Spillane spent two seasons in Las Vegas after a four-year run in Pittsburgh. He had a career year for the Raiders in 2024 with 158 tackles including 10 tackles for loss. Spillane signed a three-year contract with the Patriots this offseason and has been named a captain.
K’Lavon Chaisson, OLB
Chaisson also played for the Raiders during the 2024 campaign. A first-round pick by the Jaguars in 2020, Chaisson was a bright spot for the Patriots during training camp.
And a few recognizable names who currently represent the Raiders:
Tom Brady, Owner
Perhaps you’ve heard of the Patriots Hall of Famer who won six Super Bowls with the organization? It didn’t take Brady long to go from the field to the owner’s box. He won’t be making the trip to Gillette Stadium, though, as the FOX Sports’ A-teamer will be on the Giants-Commanders broadcast Sunday.
Pete Carroll, Head Coach
The soon-to-be 74-year-old spent three seasons as the Patriots head coach before being replaced with Bill Belichick.
Patrick Graham, DC
Graham got his NFL start with the Patriots, serving on Belichick’s staff for seven seasons (2009-2015). He elevated from a coaching assistant to the linebackers coach before he left for the Giants. He enters his fourth season as the Raiders defensive coordinator.
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Jakobi Meyers, WR
The one that got away? Meyers, who recently was linked to the Patriots after requesting a trade, enters his third season in Las Vegas. He was a surehanded pass-catcher for the Patriots throughout four seasons before Belichick opted to sign JuJu Smith-Schuster instead.
Elandon Roberts, ILB
A sixth-round pick by the Patriots in the 2016 NFL Draft, Roberts played his first four seasons in New England. He’s entering his 10th year in the league after a three-year stint with the Dolphins and two seasons with the Steelers.
Adam Butler, DT
An undrafted rookie the Patriots signed following the 2017 NFL Draft, Butler played four seasons in New England before he also joined the then head coach Brian Flores and the Dolphins. Butler now enters his third season with the Raiders.
