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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a singular objective: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in league history. He accomplished that goal. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into numerous pursuits. He works as a commentator for Fox. He's engaged in construction projects in Birmingham. He has promoted 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 eclectic or unfocused, based on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But managing a professional franchise is hardly a part-time job. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial decision-maker for the Raiders, currently the most hapless team in the league.

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 humiliated by a underperforming team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before garbage-time plays in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any team this year. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered significant gains to a Cleveland offense that has been dysfunctional for most of the campaign. Any way you slice it, it was a thorough domination. At least Brady didn't have to watch. The architect of this current situation was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Collection of Dubious Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's personnel choices, 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 resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless team in the NFL.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't appoint veteran coach Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a Super Bowl and a college national championship, to manage a protracted process back up the standings. He was supposed to return the team to competitiveness and then transition them with a solid foundation in place. Instead, 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, naturally. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through head coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth GM 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 integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news 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 directionless path. He hired John Spytek, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to act as general manager. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Geno Smith and selecting a RB with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, 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 Carroll's son.

Disastrous Outcomes

It's been a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and competitive. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive scheme, the quarterback looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, counting down the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was stark. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Their star defender, 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 rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – a dynamic runner at running back and Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be the permanent solution at QB, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

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

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class represent promise. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations understand their position in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or rebuilding. Vegas began the season thinking they were a couple of moves away from respectability. Despite the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they failed to adjust during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to find out what they have for the future. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has apparently 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. Rookie receivers 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 young players in need of reps.

Unclear Future

Where is the future direction? Will the coach return or Spytek or Smith? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its primary influencer participates sporadically, approves major organizational decisions, and then vanishes on side quests?

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a conference filled with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have clear trajectories. The Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No franchise QB. No identity. No plan.

The only thing more dangerous 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 offseason.

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