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Tom Brady dedicated 23 NFL seasons to a singular mission: becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that dream. Now, in retirement, Brady has explored various pursuits. He works as a broadcaster for a major network. He's engaged in development ventures in Birmingham. He has endorsed digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to the Middle East. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's retirement ventures appear either diverse or unfocused, based on your viewpoint.

Secondary ventures are one thing. But overseeing a professional franchise is hardly a casual commitment. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial decision-maker for the Raiders, currently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on Sunday after suffering a decisive loss to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were embarrassed by a underperforming team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless action in the final period. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a season record for any franchise this year. On defense, Las Vegas allowed significant gains 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 Series of Dubious Decisions

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's football decisions, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last offseason, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have left 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 appoint veteran coach Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a Super Bowl and a NCAA title, to oversee a protracted process back up the league table. He was expected to restore the team to competitiveness and then hand them off with a solid foundation in place. Conversely, Carroll is staring at the possibility of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Dysfunction

This is not all Brady's fault, of course. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has churned through coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter Tom Pelissero commented last summer. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll said of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to put his stamp on a team."

Brady made the key hires and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed a close associate, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to serve as GM. He approved a team strategy to the coach's specifications, including dealing a third-round pick for Smith and drafting a RB No 6 overall despite having a poor-performing offensive line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he approved handing a unreliable blocking unit – the foundation for that coordinator and ball carrier – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Outcomes

It's been a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were scrappy and competitive. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has implemented an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined 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, waiting for the plays to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was stark. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the NFL single-season record, leads a formidable defense. And there is optimism around the impressive rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – Quinshon Judkins at RB and Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to prepare, he was effective, 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.

Absence of Vision

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class symbolize promise. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations understand their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas began the season believing they were a few adjustments away from respectability. In spite of the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they haven't pivoted midstream. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing young players to find out what they have for the future. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaches and the front office regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine catches in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize experienced veterans on the defensive side over young players in need of experience.

Uncertain Future

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or the GM or the quarterback? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off major organizational decisions, and then vanishes on other projects?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

The single factor more problematic than being bad in the NFL is not recognizing 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 excelled at football through intense dedication. The Raiders could benefit from more than an hour of it.