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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering objective: becoming the most accomplished QB in NFL history. He achieved that dream. Today, in retirement, Brady has ventured into numerous pursuits. He serves as a commentator for a major network. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has endorsed cryptocurrency. He's spreading American football to the Middle East. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement ventures appear either diverse or unfocused, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But overseeing a professional franchise is hardly a casual commitment. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, presently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a quarterback making his professional debut. The Raiders' offense averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless plays in the final period. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any team this year. On the defensive side, 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 comprehensive beatdown. At least Brady didn't have to witness it. The architect of this current situation was working in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Series of Dubious Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's personnel choices, 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 NCAA title, to manage a protracted process back up the league table. He was expected to return the team to relevance and then transition them with a solid foundation in place. Instead, Carroll is staring at the possibility of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Franchise Turmoil

This is not entirely Brady's responsibility, naturally. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has churned through head coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are all over this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter a prominent journalist commented last offseason. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his chance to leave his mark on a franchise."

Brady made the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He greenlit a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Smith and selecting a RB No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning OC in the NFL. And he signed off on entrusting a unreliable offensive line – the bedrock for that coach and running back – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It's been a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and competitive. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' blocking unit has undermined any hopes for their rookie and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was expected to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Their star defender, now just five sacks away from the NFL all-time mark, leads a formidable defense. And there is optimism around the stellar-looking first-year players that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at RB and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at QB, but who is An Answer in the short-term.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a full week to get ready, he was effective, accepting what the opposition gave him and displaying glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Direction

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' first-year players represent future potential. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Good organizations recognize their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a few adjustments away from respectability. Despite the clear indications to the contrary, they haven't pivoted during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be playing rookies to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two rookies have seen significant action. There has reportedly already been tension between the coaching staff and the front office regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers two young talents have totaled nine receptions in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on defense over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Direction

What is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or the GM or Smith? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise operate when its most powerful decision-maker logs in occasionally, approves franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on other projects?

It will prove a challenge for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference stacked with consistently successful teams. Meanwhile, other reconstructing teams have clear trajectories. The Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No franchise QB. No distinctive style. No plan.

The single factor more dangerous than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're bad. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are developing, or who will call the shots in the summer.

Tom Brady once mastered football through intense dedication. The Raiders could benefit from more than an hour of it.