New England Patriots - NESN.com
Tom Brady won’t bask in the glory of defeating his former team.
The Las Vegas Raiders began the 2025 season with a 20-13 win over the New England Patriots. Brady, a Raiders minority owner, watched his new organization blossom in the debut of head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Brady made sure Smith kept his eye on their long-term goals by sending a short and sweet text message after the game.
“Good game,” Brady told Smith. “Get ready for the next one.”
Smith began his Raiders tenure with 362 passing yards, a franchise record for a debuting quarterback. The 34-year-old completed nine passes for 20 or more yards, nearly matching Brady’s 10 for the most since 2011.
Like Brady, Smith wouldn’t go crazy celebrating Sunday’s triumph. Yet he praised his teammates for overcoming a scoreless second quarter to take the lead with 10 unanswered points in the third quarter.
“It’s just one win,” Smith said, per Breer. “It’s hard to win in the NFL—takes a lot of hard work. The thing I saw with the game flow, midway through the second quarter, we hit a rut, but no one was down on themselves. We regrouped and executed after the half. I always look at the things we can improve on and get better at. But we all stuck together. No one was upset. That’s the markings of a Pete Carroll team.”
The Raiders can make a massive statement when they face the Los Angeles Chargers, who defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday, next Monday night. Meanwhile, the Patriots will seek their first win of the season in a Week 2 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
