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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering objective: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in NFL history. He achieved that dream. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has explored various pursuits. He works as a broadcaster for a major network. He's involved in construction projects in Birmingham. He has endorsed digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement ventures appear either diverse or unfocused, based on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are understandable. But overseeing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the unofficial decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell 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 underperforming team with a quarterback making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offense averaged 2.9 yards per play before garbage-time plays in the final period. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any team this season. On defense, Las Vegas allowed significant gains to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been ineffective for the majority of the season. However you analyze it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. Fortunately Brady didn't have to witness it. The architect of this current situation was working in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Series of Questionable Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's personnel choices, becoming a minority owner of the organization in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last summer, and all of them has backfired. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't expected to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't appoint veteran coach Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a championship and a NCAA title, to oversee a protracted process back up the standings. He was expected to restore the team to relevance and then transition them with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the prospect of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Franchise Turmoil

This is not all Brady's fault, of course. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through coaches and front-office heads at a rate that would make even the Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a instability that has erased any clear strategic direction. Still, it's Brady's influence that are all over this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter a prominent journalist commented last offseason. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll said of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his opportunity to put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady made the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed John Spytek, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to act as GM. He greenlit a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including trading a draft selection for Smith and selecting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning OC in the NFL. And he approved handing a flaky offensive line – the foundation for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Results

It's been a disaster. Last season's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were competitive and resilient. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' blocking unit has undermined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was expected to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, counting down the snaps to the end of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was stark. 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 single-season record, leads a formidable defense. And there is optimism around the impressive first-year players that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at running back and a skilled defender at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Granted, it was against the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the stage was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was solid, taking what the defense gave him and showing glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class represent 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 frisky playoff team, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season believing they were a couple of moves away from respectability. In spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they haven't pivoted during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the front office regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers two young talents have totaled nine catches in eleven contests, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out grizzled vets on the defensive side over young players in need of experience.

Uncertain Direction

Where is the path forward? Will the coach return or Spytek or Smith? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its most powerful decision-maker participates sporadically, signs off major organizational decisions, and then vanishes on other projects?

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a division stacked with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have paths. The New York Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No foundation. 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 lack clarity on where they are, what they are building, or who will call the shots in the summer.

Tom Brady once excelled at football through intense dedication. The Raiders could use more than an hour of it.