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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a singular mission: becoming the greatest quarterback in league history. He accomplished that goal. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into various endeavors. He serves as a commentator for Fox. He's engaged in construction projects in the UK. He has promoted 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 ventures appear either eclectic or aimless, depending on your viewpoint.

Side projects are understandable. But managing a professional franchise is not a part-time job. Alongside his other roles, Brady also serves as the de facto decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after enduring a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a underperforming team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offense averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless plays in the fourth quarter. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any team this year. On defense, Las Vegas surrendered significant gains to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for the majority of the season. Any way you slice it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. At least Brady didn't have to watch. The architect of this latest Vegas mess was working in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Dubious Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year leading the team's personnel choices, after becoming a minority owner of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last offseason, and all of them has backfired. Those decisions have left the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless franchise in the league.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't appoint 74-year-old 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 return the team to relevance and then hand them off with a stable base in place. Instead, Carroll is staring at the possibility of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Organizational Turmoil

This is not all Brady's fault, naturally. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through head coaches and executives at a rate that would make even the Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a turnover rate that has erased any clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter a prominent journalist commented last summer. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll said of Brady at his first press 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 rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to act as GM. He approved a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including trading a draft selection for Smith and selecting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he approved entrusting a unreliable offensive line – the foundation for that coordinator and running back – to Carroll's son.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It has become a disaster. The previous year's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and competitive. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any aspirations for their rookie and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, waiting for 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 quarterback takedowns away from the league all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – a dynamic runner at RB and Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be the permanent solution at QB, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the stage was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was solid, accepting what the defense gave him and displaying glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB 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. Good organizations understand their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. Despite the clear indications to the contrary, they failed to adjust midstream. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be playing young players to find out what they have for the coming years. But only two rookies have seen real playing time. There has reportedly already been tension between the coaches and the front office regarding the limited playing time for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the offensive line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine receptions in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on defense over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Direction

Where is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or Smith? And who actually makes those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its most powerful decision-maker participates sporadically, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on side quests?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division filled with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are stocked with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing more dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not recognizing you're bad. 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 intense dedication. The Raiders could use more than limited attention of it.