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Tom Brady dedicated 23 NFL seasons to a singular mission: becoming the most accomplished QB in league history. He accomplished that goal. Now, in retirement, Brady has explored various pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for Fox. He's engaged in development ventures in Birmingham. He has endorsed digital assets. He's expanding the NFL to the Middle East. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his family pet. Brady's post-career activities appear either eclectic or aimless, depending on your viewpoint.

Side projects are understandable. But overseeing a NFL team is not a casual commitment. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, currently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a quarterback 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 defense, Las Vegas allowed 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 witness it. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was working in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Collection of Dubious Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's personnel choices, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was responsible for every major decision last offseason, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have left the Raiders as the most unwatchable and aimless team in the NFL.

This wasn't supposed to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't appoint 74-year-old Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a championship and a college national championship, to oversee a long slog back up the standings. He was supposed 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 fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Turmoil

This is not entirely Brady's responsibility, naturally. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has churned 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 instability that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. Still, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter Tom Pelissero said last summer. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the key hires and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He greenlit a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including trading a third-round pick for Geno Smith and selecting a RB No 6 overall despite having a poor-performing O-line. He recruited an offensive innovator away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he approved entrusting a flaky offensive line – the foundation for that coach and running back – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It's been a disaster. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and competitive. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an old-fashioned defensive scheme, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. 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 contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. 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 two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins 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 short-term.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to prepare, he was effective, accepting what the opposition gave him and displaying glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his debut game since 1995.

Lack of Direction

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' first-year players represent future potential. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises understand their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season believing they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. Despite the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they haven't pivoted midstream. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to discover what they have for the future. But only two rookies have seen significant action. There has apparently already been tension between the coaching staff and the management regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers two young talents have totaled nine receptions in eleven contests, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on defense over young players in need of reps.

Unclear Direction

Where is the path forward? Will the coach return or Spytek or the quarterback? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on other projects?

It will prove a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division stacked with perennial playoff contenders. 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 promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No franchise QB. No distinctive style. No plan.

The only thing more problematic than being ineffective in the NFL is not recognizing you're underperforming. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are developing, or who will make decisions in the offseason.

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