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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a singular objective: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in NFL history. He achieved that goal. Now, in retirement, Brady has explored numerous endeavors. He serves as a broadcaster for a major network. He's engaged in development ventures in Birmingham. He has promoted digital assets. He's spreading American football to the Middle East. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's post-career ventures appear either eclectic or aimless, depending on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are understandable. But managing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a underperforming team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless action in the final period. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a season record for any team this year. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for most of the season. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. At least Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Series of Dubious Decisions

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 accountable for every significant move last offseason, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the most unwatchable and aimless franchise in the league.

This wasn't expected to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't appoint 74-year-old Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a NCAA title, to manage a protracted process back up the standings. He was expected to restore the team to competitiveness and then transition them with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the possibility of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Organizational Turmoil

This is not all Brady's fault, naturally. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's fingerprints that are all over this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider Tom Pelissero commented last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll said of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to put his stamp on a team."

Brady made the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired John Spytek, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He approved a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including dealing a third-round pick for Smith and selecting a RB No 6 overall despite having a poor-performing offensive line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the league. And he approved handing a flaky blocking unit – the foundation for that coordinator and ball carrier – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Results

It's been a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and competitive. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive scheme, the quarterback looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any aspirations for their rookie and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the end of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was stark. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Their star defender, now just five quarterback takedowns away from the league single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the impressive first-year players that includes multiple promising talents – Quinshon Judkins at running back and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was solid, accepting what the defense gave him and showing glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his debut game since 1995.

Absence of Vision

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' first-year players represent promise. That's a reflection the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations understand their position in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a few adjustments away from respectability. In spite of the clear indications to the contrary, they haven't pivoted during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has reportedly already been tension between the coaches and the front office regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the offensive line being a weak point. Rookie receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine catches in eleven contests, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on the defensive side over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Direction

Where is the future direction? Will the coach return or the GM or the quarterback? And who actually makes those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its most powerful decision-maker participates sporadically, approves franchise-altering moves, 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 rebuilders have paths. The New York Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing more problematic than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're bad. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are building, or who will call the shots in the summer.

Tom Brady once mastered football through intense dedication. The Raiders could use more than limited attention of it.