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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a singular objective: becoming the greatest quarterback in league history. He achieved that dream. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into various endeavors. He works as a commentator for Fox. He's involved in development ventures in Birmingham. He has promoted digital assets. He's expanding American football to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's retirement activities appear either eclectic or aimless, based on your viewpoint.

Side projects are understandable. But managing a NFL team is hardly a part-time job. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, presently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders dropped 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 underperforming team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless plays in the fourth quarter. Their quarterback was tackled 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a season record for any team this year. On defense, Las Vegas surrendered significant gains to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been ineffective for most of the campaign. However you analyze it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. At least Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was sitting in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Collection of Dubious Choices

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's personnel choices, becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last summer, and all of them has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have left the Raiders as the least entertaining and aimless franchise in the NFL.

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 college national championship, to manage 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 prospect of being one-and-done 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 churned through 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 general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider a prominent journalist said last summer. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated 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 placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to act as GM. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including trading a draft selection for Smith and drafting a RB No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he signed off on handing a flaky 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 competitive and resilient. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an old-fashioned defensive scheme, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' blocking unit has submarined any aspirations for their rookie and the ground attack. If nothing else, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, counting down the plays to the end of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the NFL all-time mark, 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 a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be the permanent solution at QB, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Granted, 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 prepare, he was effective, taking what the opposition gave him and displaying flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Direction

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class represent promise. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises understand their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a couple of moves away from respectability. In spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they haven't pivoted during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing young players to find out what they have for the future. But only two rookies have seen real playing time. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaches and the front office regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have combined for nine receptions in eleven contests, 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 experience.

Unclear Direction

Where is the future direction? Will the coach return or the GM or Smith? 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 vanishes on other projects?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a division stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have paths. The New York Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No foundation. No franchise QB. No identity. No plan.

The single factor 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 developing, or who will make decisions in the offseason.

Tom Brady once excelled at football through ruthless focus. The Raiders could benefit from more than limited attention of it.