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Tom Brady dedicated 23 NFL seasons to a singular mission: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in league history. He accomplished that goal. Today, in retirement, Brady has ventured into various endeavors. He works as a broadcaster for a major network. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has endorsed cryptocurrency. He's expanding American football to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement activities appear either eclectic or unfocused, based on your viewpoint.

Secondary ventures are one thing. But managing a professional franchise is hardly a part-time job. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the unofficial decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the most hapless team in the NFL.

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 plays in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this year. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for the majority of the season. Any way you slice it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Series of Questionable Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only been involved for a year leading the team's football decisions, becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every major decision last summer, and each one has backfired. Those decisions have left the Raiders as the most unwatchable and aimless franchise in the league.

This wasn't supposed to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't appoint veteran coach Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a college national championship, to oversee a protracted process back up the standings. He was expected to restore the team to competitiveness and then transition them with a solid foundation in place. Instead, Carroll is facing the prospect of being fired after one season 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 head coaches and executives at a rate that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a instability that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter a prominent journalist said last offseason. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to leave his mark on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired a close associate, his former teammate and colleague in Tampa, to act as general manager. He approved a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Smith and selecting a RB No 6 overall despite having a poor-performing offensive line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the NCAA, making him the highest-paid OC in the NFL. And he signed off on entrusting a flaky blocking unit – the foundation for that coordinator and ball carrier – to Carroll's son.

Catastrophic Results

It's been a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were scrappy and resilient. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' blocking unit has submarined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The difference 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 league single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the impressive rookie class that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at RB and Carson Schwesinger at linebacker. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was effective, taking what the opposition gave him and displaying flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Direction

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class represent future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Good organizations recognize their position in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. In spite of the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they haven't pivoted during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out young players to find out what they have for the future. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has reportedly already been tension between the coaching staff and the management regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a sieve. Rookie receivers two young talents have totaled nine catches in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on the defensive side over rookies in need of experience.

Uncertain Direction

What is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or Smith? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off major organizational decisions, and then disappears on other projects?

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a division filled with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other reconstructing teams have paths. The New York Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. 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 dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not recognizing 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 ruthless focus. The Raiders could benefit from more than an hour of it.