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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a unwavering mission: becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that goal. Now, in retirement, Brady has explored numerous endeavors. He works as a commentator for a major network. He's involved in construction projects in Birmingham. He has endorsed digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to the Middle East. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's post-career activities appear either diverse or aimless, depending on your viewpoint.

Side projects are understandable. But overseeing a NFL team is not a part-time job. Alongside his other roles, Brady also serves as the unofficial decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, currently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on this past weekend after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were embarrassed by a struggling team with a quarterback making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless action in the fourth quarter. Their quarterback 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 big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for the majority of the season. However you analyze it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. At least Brady didn't have to witness it. The architect of this current situation was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Collection of Dubious Choices

To be fair to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's football decisions, 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 moves have left the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless franchise in the league.

This wasn't expected 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 NCAA title, to oversee a protracted process back up the league table. He was expected to return the team to competitiveness and then transition them with a solid foundation in place. Instead, Carroll is staring at the possibility of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Turmoil

This is not entirely Brady's responsibility, naturally. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through coaches and executives at a rate that would make even the Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a instability that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter a prominent journalist said last offseason. "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 crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired John Spytek, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as GM. He greenlit a team strategy to the coach's specifications, including dealing a third-round pick for Smith and selecting a RB No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he approved handing a flaky blocking unit – the bedrock for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It has become a disaster. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and resilient. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an old-fashioned defensive scheme, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any aspirations for their rookie 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 end 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 NFL single-season record, leads a formidable defense. And there is optimism around the impressive rookie class that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at RB and Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was effective, taking what the opposition gave him and showing flashes of improvisation. 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 symbolize future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises recognize their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season believing they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. In spite of the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they haven't pivoted during the season. Like Cleveland, 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 front office regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a weak point. Rookie receivers two young talents have combined for 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 experience.

Unclear Direction

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or the GM or Smith? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its most powerful decision-maker participates sporadically, approves franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on other projects?

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference stacked with consistently successful teams. Meanwhile, other reconstructing teams have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No plan.

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

Tom Brady once mastered football through intense dedication. The Raiders could benefit from more than limited attention of it.