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Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a singular objective: becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He achieved that dream. Now, in retirement, Brady has ventured into numerous pursuits. He works as a broadcaster for a major network. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has endorsed digital assets. He's expanding the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's post-career activities appear either diverse or unfocused, based on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are one thing. But managing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial football leader for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell 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 underperforming team with a quarterback making his professional debut. The Raiders' offense averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless plays in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any team this year. On the defensive side, Las Vegas allowed big plays 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. At least Brady didn't have to witness it. The architect of this latest Vegas mess was working in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Series of Questionable Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's personnel choices, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last summer, and each one has backfired. Those moves have resulted in 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, 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 supposed to return the team to competitiveness and then hand them off with a solid foundation in place. Instead, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Organizational Turmoil

This is not all Brady's fault, of course. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through head coaches and front-office heads at a speed 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 clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's fingerprints that are all over this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter Tom Pelissero said last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to leave his mark on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the key hires and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed John Spytek, 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 Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing offensive line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the highest-paid OC in the NFL. And he approved entrusting a unreliable blocking unit – 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 four-win team, but they were scrappy and resilient. This year's Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any hopes for their rookie and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired 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 league single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking first-year players that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at RB and a skilled defender at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the stage was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was solid, 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.

Absence 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 recognize their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a few adjustments away from respectability. In spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they haven't pivoted midstream. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be playing young players to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two rookies 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 rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a sieve. Rookie receivers two young talents have totaled nine catches in eleven contests, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on the defensive side over young players in need of experience.

Unclear Direction

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 operate when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off 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 division stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other reconstructing teams have clear trajectories. The Jets are stocked with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No core. No franchise QB. 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 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.