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Tom Brady dedicated 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering mission: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in league history. He accomplished that goal. Today, in retirement, Brady has explored numerous pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for a major network. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has endorsed digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to the Middle East. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's post-career activities appear either diverse or aimless, based on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are understandable. But managing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the de facto decision-maker for the Raiders, presently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; 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 garbage-time action in the final period. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any team this year. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been dysfunctional for most of the season. Any way you slice it, it was a thorough domination. At least Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was sitting in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Questionable Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year leading the team's personnel choices, becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last summer, and each one has backfired. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the most unwatchable and aimless team in the league.

This wasn't supposed to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't hire 74-year-old Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a college national championship, to oversee a long slog back up the league table. He was expected to return the team to relevance and then transition them with a solid foundation in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the possibility of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Dysfunction

This is not entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through coaches and front-office heads at a rate that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a instability that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider Tom Pelissero commented last summer. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll said of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his opportunity to put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed a close associate, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He greenlit a team strategy to the coach's specifications, including trading a third-round pick for Smith and selecting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing offensive line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the highest-paid OC in the league. And he signed off on entrusting a flaky blocking unit – the foundation for that coach and running back – to Carroll's son.

Catastrophic Results

It's been a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and competitive. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed 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 pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Their star defender, now just five sacks away from the NFL single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – Quinshon Judkins at RB 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.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders demonstrated that the stage was not too big for him. With a full week to prepare, he was effective, taking what the defense gave him and displaying flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class represent promise. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Good organizations recognize their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 believing they were a couple of moves away from competitiveness. In spite of the clear indications otherwise, they failed to adjust during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be throwing out young players to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen significant action. There has reportedly already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the front office regarding the limited playing time for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the offensive line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine catches in eleven contests, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize experienced veterans on the defensive side over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Future

Where is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or the GM or the quarterback? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on other projects?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a division filled with consistently successful teams. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No foundation. No franchise QB. No distinctive style. No plan.

The single factor more problematic 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 offseason.

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