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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a singular mission: becoming the most accomplished QB in league history. He achieved that dream. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into various pursuits. He serves as a commentator for a major network. He's engaged in development ventures in the UK. He has endorsed digital assets. He's expanding the NFL to the Middle East. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's post-career activities appear either eclectic or unfocused, based on your viewpoint.

Side projects are one thing. But overseeing a professional franchise is hardly a casual commitment. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the unofficial decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the least successful team in the NFL.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a underperforming team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offense averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless plays in the final period. Their quarterback was tackled 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any team this season. On defense, Las Vegas allowed big plays 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 Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last offseason, and all of them has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless franchise in the league.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't hire veteran coach Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a Super Bowl and a NCAA title, to oversee a long slog back up the standings. He was expected to return the team to competitiveness and then hand them off with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Organizational Dysfunction

This isn't entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a turnover rate that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's fingerprints that are all over this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last offseason. "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 team."

Brady was responsible for the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed John Spytek, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as GM. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection 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 top-earning OC in the league. And he approved entrusting a unreliable offensive line – the bedrock for that coordinator and ball carrier – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Results

It's been 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 confused mess. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive scheme, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' blocking unit has undermined any hopes for their rookie and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down the plays to the end of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was stark. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the NFL all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at running back and a skilled defender at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be the permanent solution at QB, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to prepare, he was effective, taking what the defense gave him and showing glimpses of improvisation. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players symbolize future potential. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises recognize their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a contender, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas entered 2025 believing they were a few adjustments away from respectability. Despite the clear indications otherwise, they haven't pivoted midstream. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to find out what they have for the future. But only two first-year players 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 catches in eleven contests, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to utilize experienced veterans on the defensive side over young players in need of experience.

Unclear Future

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or Smith? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its most powerful decision-maker participates sporadically, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on side quests?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference stacked with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing more dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are building, or who will make decisions in the summer.

Tom Brady once excelled at football through ruthless focus. The Raiders could use more than limited attention of it.