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Tom Brady dedicated 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering mission: becoming the greatest quarterback in league history. He accomplished that dream. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into various endeavors. He serves as a broadcaster for Fox. He's involved in construction projects in Birmingham. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's expanding the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's post-career ventures appear either diverse or unfocused, based on your perspective.

Side projects are understandable. But overseeing a professional franchise is hardly a part-time job. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, presently the least successful team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offense averaged less than three yards per play before garbage-time plays in the fourth quarter. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a season record for any franchise this season. On defense, Las Vegas surrendered significant gains to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been ineffective for the majority of the season. Any way you slice it, it was a thorough domination. At least Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Questionable Decisions

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

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't appoint 74-year-old Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a Super Bowl and a college national championship, to manage 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. Instead, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Dysfunction

This is not all Brady's fault, of course. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through head coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has erased any clear strategic direction. Still, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter Tom Pelissero commented last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated 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 rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as GM. He greenlit a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including dealing a third-round pick for Geno Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the highest-paid OC in the league. And he approved handing a unreliable blocking unit – the foundation for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Results

It has become a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and resilient. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive scheme, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, counting down the plays to the conclusion of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the NFL single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – Quinshon Judkins at running back and a skilled defender at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the stage was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was effective, taking what the defense gave him and showing flashes of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Vision

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class symbolize future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Successful franchises recognize their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas entered 2025 believing they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. In spite of the clear indications otherwise, they failed to adjust 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 significant action. There has apparently already been tension between the coaches and the management regarding the limited playing time for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the offensive line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers two young talents have totaled nine receptions in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on defense over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Direction

What is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or the GM or the quarterback? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise operate when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off major organizational decisions, 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 stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No quarterback. No distinctive style. No plan.

The single factor more problematic than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. The Raiders lack clarity on 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.