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Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a singular mission: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that goal. Today, in retirement, Brady has explored various pursuits. He serves as a commentator for Fox. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has promoted digital assets. He's spreading American football to the Middle East. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his family pet. Brady's post-career ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, based on your viewpoint.

Side projects are understandable. But managing a professional franchise is hardly a part-time job. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the unofficial decision-maker for the Raiders, currently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were embarrassed by a struggling team with a quarterback making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless plays in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any team this year. On defense, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been ineffective for the majority of the campaign. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Questionable Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only been involved for a year leading the team's personnel choices, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every major decision last summer, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless team in the NFL.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't hire veteran coach Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a NCAA title, to oversee a protracted process back up the standings. He was expected to return the team to relevance and then hand them off with a solid foundation in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the possibility of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Franchise Dysfunction

This is not all Brady's fault, naturally. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through head coaches and executives 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 instability that has erased any clear strategic direction. Still, it's Brady's influence that are all over this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter a prominent journalist commented last summer. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to leave his mark on a team."

Brady made the key hires and set the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed John Spytek, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to act as GM. He approved a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a third-round pick for Smith and drafting a running back No 6 overall despite having a poor-performing O-line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he approved handing a unreliable blocking unit – the bedrock for that coach and running back – to Carroll's son.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It's been a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and competitive. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive scheme, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any aspirations for their rookie and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, counting down the plays to the end of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was stark. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the league 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 Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the short-term.

Granted, it was against the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not too big for him. With a full week to get ready, he was solid, accepting what the opposition gave him and showing glimpses of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players represent future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises recognize their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season believing they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. In spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they failed to adjust midstream. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out young players to find out 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 management regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers two young talents have combined for nine receptions in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize experienced veterans on the defensive side over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Future

What is the path forward? Will the coach return or Spytek or Smith? And who actually makes those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on other projects?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a division stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other reconstructing teams have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No core. No franchise QB. No distinctive style. No plan.

The only thing more dangerous than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. 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 ruthless focus. The Raiders could use more than limited attention of it.