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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a singular mission: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in league history. He achieved that goal. Today, in retirement, Brady has explored various endeavors. He works as a commentator for Fox. He's engaged in construction projects in Birmingham. He has promoted digital assets. He's spreading American football to the Middle East. He operates a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's post-career ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, depending on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are one thing. But managing a NFL team is not a part-time job. In addition to his other roles, Brady also serves as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, presently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were embarrassed by a struggling team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before garbage-time action in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this season. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered significant gains to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been dysfunctional for the majority of the season. Any way you slice it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. Fortunately Brady didn't have to witness it. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Questionable Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's football decisions, becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last summer, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have left the Raiders as the least entertaining and aimless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't expected 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 college national championship, to oversee a protracted process back up the league table. He was expected to restore the team to relevance and then hand them off with a solid foundation in place. Conversely, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Turmoil

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 speed that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's fingerprints that are all over this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter Tom Pelissero said 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 franchise."

Brady was responsible for the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired John Spytek, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to act as general manager. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a third-round pick for Geno Smith and drafting a RB No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the NCAA, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he approved handing a flaky offensive line – the bedrock for that coach and running back – to Carroll's son.

Disastrous Results

It's been a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and resilient. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' blocking unit has undermined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down the plays 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 NFL single-season record, leads a formidable defense. And there is optimism around the impressive first-year players that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at running back and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the stage was not overwhelming for him. With a full week to prepare, he was solid, taking what the defense gave him and displaying glimpses of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Direction

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players represent promise. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Successful franchises understand their position in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 believing they were a couple of moves away from respectability. Despite the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they failed to adjust during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be playing rookies to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two rookies have seen real playing time. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the management regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers two young talents have totaled nine catches in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on the defensive side over rookies in need of reps.

Unclear Future

What is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or the GM or the quarterback? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer participates sporadically, approves franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on side quests?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference filled with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Titans and Giants have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No franchise QB. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing more dangerous than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're bad. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are developing, or who will call the shots in the summer.

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