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Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a singular mission: becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that dream. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into numerous pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for a major network. He's engaged in construction projects in Birmingham. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's spreading American football to Saudi Arabia. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement ventures appear either diverse or unfocused, depending on your viewpoint.

Side projects are understandable. But managing a NFL team is not a casual commitment. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, currently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after enduring a decisive loss to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were embarrassed by a struggling team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless plays in the fourth quarter. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any team this season. On the defensive side, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been dysfunctional for the majority of the season. However you analyze it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. Fortunately Brady didn't have to witness it. The architect of this latest Vegas mess was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Collection of Dubious Decisions

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last offseason, and each one has backfired. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't expected to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't hire veteran coach Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a Super Bowl and a college national championship, to manage a long slog back up the league table. He was supposed to restore the team to relevance and then hand them off with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Organizational Turmoil

This isn't all Brady's fault, of course. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through head coaches and executives at a rate that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider Tom Pelissero said last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his chance to leave his mark on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed a close associate, his former teammate and colleague in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He greenlit a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including trading a draft selection for Smith and selecting a RB with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning OC in the league. And he signed off on entrusting a unreliable offensive line – the foundation for that coach and running back – to Carroll's son.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It has become a disaster. Last season's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were scrappy and resilient. This year's Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has implemented an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks washed and the Raiders' blocking unit has undermined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was expected to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, counting down the plays to the end of the game.

The contrast 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 formidable defense. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – a dynamic runner at running back and Carson Schwesinger at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at QB, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a full week to get ready, he was effective, taking what the opposition gave him and displaying flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Direction

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players symbolize promise. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises recognize their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas entered 2025 believing they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. In spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they failed to adjust midstream. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be playing young players to find out what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen significant action. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the management regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a sieve. Rookie receivers two young talents have totaled nine receptions in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to roll out grizzled vets on defense over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Future

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or the quarterback? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its most powerful decision-maker logs in occasionally, approves franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on side quests?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a division filled with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are stocked with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No franchise QB. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing more problematic than being bad in the NFL is not recognizing you're bad. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are developing, or who will make decisions in the offseason.

Tom Brady once excelled at football through intense dedication. The Raiders could use more than an hour of it.