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Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a singular objective: becoming the greatest quarterback in league history. He achieved that goal. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has explored numerous pursuits. He works as a broadcaster for Fox. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has promoted digital assets. He's expanding American football to Saudi Arabia. He operates a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's retirement ventures appear either diverse or unfocused, depending on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are one thing. But overseeing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. Alongside his other roles, Brady also serves as the de facto decision-maker for the Raiders, presently the least successful team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after suffering a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were embarrassed by a struggling team with a quarterback making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before garbage-time plays in the fourth quarter. Their quarterback was tackled 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this year. On defense, Las Vegas surrendered significant gains 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 watch. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was sitting in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Series of Questionable Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's personnel choices, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last offseason, and each one has backfired. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the most unwatchable and aimless franchise in the league.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't appoint 74-year-old Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a Super Bowl and a college national championship, to manage a long slog back up the league table. He was expected to restore the team to relevance and then transition them with a stable base 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 isn't all Brady's fault, naturally. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through head coaches and front-office heads at a rate that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a instability that has erased any clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last summer. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to leave his mark on a franchise."

Brady made the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed John Spytek, 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 bottom-tier O-line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning OC in the league. And he approved entrusting a unreliable blocking unit – the foundation for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Outcomes

It has become a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were scrappy and resilient. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive scheme, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any aspirations for their rookie and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the league all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the impressive first-year players that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at RB and a skilled defender at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not too big for him. With a full week to prepare, he was effective, taking what the opposition gave him and displaying glimpses of creativity. 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 promise. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises understand their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 believing they were a few adjustments away from respectability. In spite of the clear indications to the contrary, they haven't pivoted midstream. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to discover 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 management regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a weak point. Rookie receivers two young talents have combined for nine receptions in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to roll out grizzled vets on defense over rookies in need of experience.

Unclear Future

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or the GM or the quarterback? And who actually makes those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its most powerful decision-maker logs in occasionally, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on other projects?

It will prove a challenge for the Raiders to improve – 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 Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No quarterback. No distinctive style. No plan.

The only thing more dangerous than being ineffective in the NFL is not recognizing you're underperforming. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are building, 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.