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Tom Brady dedicated 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering mission: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in league history. He achieved that goal. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has explored numerous pursuits. He works as a commentator for a major network. He's involved in development ventures in Birmingham. He has endorsed cryptocurrency. He's expanding the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's post-career activities appear either eclectic or unfocused, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But overseeing a professional franchise is hardly a casual commitment. Alongside his other roles, Brady also serves as the de facto decision-maker for the Raiders, presently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a underperforming team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before garbage-time action in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any team this season. On defense, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been dysfunctional for most of the campaign. Any way you slice it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Series of Dubious Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's personnel choices, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last offseason, and all of them has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless franchise in the league.

This wasn't expected to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't hire veteran coach Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a championship and a college national championship, to manage a long slog back up the standings. He was supposed to restore the team to competitiveness and then hand them off with a stable base in place. Instead, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Franchise Dysfunction

This isn't all Brady's fault, naturally. Mark Davis is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through head coaches and front-office heads at a rate that would make even the Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his chance to put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He hired John Spytek, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He approved a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including trading a draft selection for Geno Smith and drafting a RB No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the league. And he approved entrusting a flaky offensive line – the foundation for that coach and running back – to Carroll's son.

Disastrous Results

It's been a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were competitive and competitive. This year's Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has implemented an old-fashioned defensive scheme, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down the plays to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was stark. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five quarterback takedowns away from the NFL single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – a dynamic runner at RB and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be the permanent solution at QB, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the stage was not too big for him. With a full week to prepare, he was solid, accepting what the opposition gave him and showing flashes of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his debut game since 1995.

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players symbolize future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations understand their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 believing they were a couple of moves away from respectability. Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they failed to adjust during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out young players to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen significant action. There has reportedly already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the management regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers two young talents have combined for nine receptions in eleven contests, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize experienced veterans on the defensive side over young players in need of experience.

Uncertain Future

What is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or the GM or the quarterback? And who actually makes those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise operate when its primary influencer participates sporadically, approves major organizational decisions, and then disappears on side quests?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other reconstructing teams have paths. The Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No foundation. No quarterback. No identity. No plan.

The only thing more dangerous than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are building, or who will make decisions in the offseason.

Tom Brady once excelled at football through ruthless focus. The Raiders could use more than limited attention of it.