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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering mission: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in NFL history. He accomplished that dream. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has explored various pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for a major network. He's involved in development ventures in Birmingham. He has promoted digital assets. He's expanding American football to the Middle East. He operates a popular YouTube channel. He even cloned his family pet. Brady's retirement ventures appear either diverse or unfocused, depending on your viewpoint.

Secondary ventures are understandable. But managing a NFL team is hardly a casual commitment. Alongside his other roles, Brady also serves as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, currently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a quarterback making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 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 season. On the defensive side, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been dysfunctional for most of the season. Any way you slice it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. Fortunately Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was working in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Collection of Dubious Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only spent one season 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 proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have left the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless team in the NFL.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't appoint veteran coach Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a championship and a college national championship, 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 stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Turmoil

This isn't all Brady's fault, naturally. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through head 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 instability that has erased any clear strategic direction. Still, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," NFL Insider Tom Pelissero said last summer. "He's been deeply engaged," 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 crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed John Spytek, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as GM. He greenlit a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including trading a draft selection for Geno Smith and drafting a RB with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he signed off on handing a flaky blocking unit – the bedrock for that coach and running back – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Outcomes

It has become a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and resilient. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down the plays to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was stark. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Their star defender, now just five sacks away from the NFL all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the stellar-looking first-year players that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at running back and Carson Schwesinger at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the stage was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to prepare, he was solid, taking what the defense gave him and displaying flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his debut game since 1995.

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players symbolize promise. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises understand their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a contender, a competitive squad, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 believing they were a few adjustments away from respectability. In spite of the clear indications otherwise, they haven't pivoted midstream. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing young players to find out what they have for the coming years. But only two rookies have seen significant action. There has reportedly 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 weak point. First-year pass catchers two young talents have combined for nine receptions in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on defense over rookies in need of experience.

Unclear Future

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or Smith? And who actually makes those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team function when its most powerful decision-maker logs in occasionally, signs off major organizational decisions, and then disappears on side quests?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are loaded with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No quarterback. No distinctive style. No strategic vision.

The only thing more problematic than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're bad. The Raiders don't know 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 use more than limited attention of it.