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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a singular objective: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in league history. He achieved that dream. Now, in retirement, Brady has ventured into numerous pursuits. He works as a broadcaster for Fox. He's involved in development ventures in Birmingham. He has promoted digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He even cloned his family pet. Brady's post-career ventures appear either diverse or aimless, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But managing a NFL team is hardly a part-time job. Alongside his other roles, Brady also serves as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, presently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a underperforming team with a quarterback making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offense averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless action in the final period. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this year. On defense, Las Vegas allowed significant gains to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for most of the campaign. However you analyze it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. Fortunately Brady didn't have to witness it. The architect of this current situation 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 guiding the team's football decisions, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last offseason, 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 expected to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't hire veteran coach Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a NCAA title, to manage a long slog back up the standings. He was expected to restore 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 Turmoil

This isn't entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a turnover rate that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter Tom Pelissero said last summer. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll said of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the key hires and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed John Spytek, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to act as general manager. 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 offensive line. He recruited an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he signed off on handing a unreliable offensive line – the foundation for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Outcomes

It's been a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and resilient. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an old-fashioned defensive scheme, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' blocking unit has undermined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down the snaps to the end of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was stark. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Their star defender, now just five sacks away from the NFL single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the impressive first-year players that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at running back and Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at QB, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the stage was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to prepare, he was effective, accepting what the defense gave him and showing flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Direction

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class symbolize future potential. That's a mirror 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 rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a couple of moves away from competitiveness. Despite the clear indications to the contrary, they failed to adjust midstream. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be throwing out 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 management regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the offensive line being a weak point. Rookie receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine receptions in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on the defensive side over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Future

What is the future direction? Will the coach return or the GM or Smith? And who actually makes those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, signs off major organizational decisions, and then disappears on side quests?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division filled with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have clear trajectories. The Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No plan.

The only thing more dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are developing, or who will call the shots in the summer.

Tom Brady once mastered football through intense dedication. The Raiders could benefit from more than limited attention of it.