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Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a unwavering objective: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in NFL history. He achieved that dream. Now, in retirement, Brady has explored various endeavors. He serves as a commentator for Fox. He's involved in construction projects in Birmingham. He has endorsed cryptocurrency. He's spreading American football to the Middle East. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's post-career ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, depending on your viewpoint.

Side projects are understandable. But managing a NFL team is not a casual commitment. Alongside his other roles, Brady functions as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, currently the least successful team in the NFL.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offense averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless plays in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a season record for any franchise this year. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been dysfunctional for the majority of the campaign. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to witness it. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Dubious Decisions

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last summer, and each one has backfired. Those moves have left the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless team 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 Super Bowl and a NCAA title, to manage a long slog back up the league table. He was expected to return the team to relevance and then hand them off with a solid foundation in place. Conversely, Carroll is staring at the possibility of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Organizational Dysfunction

This isn't all Brady's fault, naturally. Mark Davis is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through coaches and front-office heads at a rate that would make even the Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a instability that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. Still, it's Brady's fingerprints 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 integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his opportunity to leave his mark on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the key hires and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired a close associate, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as GM. He approved a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Geno Smith and selecting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing offensive line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he signed off on handing a flaky blocking unit – the foundation for that coordinator and ball carrier – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Results

It's been a disaster. 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 installed an outdated defensive scheme, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any aspirations for their rookie and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for 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 optimism around the impressive rookie class 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 permanent solution at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to prepare, he was effective, accepting what the defense gave him and showing glimpses of improvisation. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his debut game since 1995.

Lack of Vision

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class represent future potential. That's a reflection the Raiders should avoid. 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 couple of moves away from respectability. In spite of the clear indications otherwise, they haven't pivoted during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing rookies to find out what they have for the coming years. But only two rookies 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 o-line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have combined for nine catches in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to roll out grizzled vets on the defensive side over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Direction

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or the quarterback? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a team function when its most powerful decision-maker participates sporadically, approves major organizational decisions, and then disappears on side quests?

It will prove a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division 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 promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing 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 building, or who will make decisions in the offseason.

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