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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering mission: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in league history. He achieved that goal. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into various endeavors. He works as a broadcaster for Fox. He's engaged in development ventures in the UK. He has endorsed digital assets. He's expanding American football to the Middle East. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement activities appear either eclectic or unfocused, based on your viewpoint.

Side projects are understandable. But managing a NFL team is not a casual commitment. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial decision-maker for the Raiders, presently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on this past weekend after enduring a decisive loss to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a quarterback making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before garbage-time action in the final period. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this year. On defense, Las Vegas allowed significant gains to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been dysfunctional for most of the campaign. 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 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 guiding the team's football decisions, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was responsible for every major decision last summer, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have left the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't expected 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 manage a protracted process back up the standings. He was supposed to restore the team to competitiveness and then hand them off with a solid foundation in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Organizational Dysfunction

This is not entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. Mark Davis is still the majority owner. Davis has churned through coaches and executives 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 erased any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's fingerprints that are all over this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last summer. "He's been integrally involved," 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 key hires and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed a close associate, his former teammate and colleague in Tampa, to serve as GM. He approved a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including trading a third-round pick for Geno Smith and drafting a RB No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he approved entrusting a unreliable offensive line – the foundation for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Results

It has become a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and resilient. This year's Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down 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 quarterback takedowns away from the league single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the impressive first-year players that includes multiple promising talents – a dynamic runner at running back and a skilled defender at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at QB, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the stage was not too big for him. With a full week to get ready, he was effective, accepting what the opposition gave him and showing flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Vision

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. Successful franchises understand their position 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. Despite the clear indications to the contrary, they failed to adjust midstream. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing young players to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has reportedly already been tension between the coaches and the front office regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine receptions in eleven contests, despite the ineffectiveness in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on defense over rookies in need of reps.

Unclear Future

What is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or the quarterback? And who actually makes those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team function when its primary influencer participates sporadically, approves franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on other projects?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference filled with consistently successful teams. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. 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 single factor more dangerous than being ineffective 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 mastered football through intense dedication. The Raiders could benefit from more than an hour of it.