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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 accomplished that goal. Now, in retirement, Brady has ventured into numerous pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for a major network. He's involved in development ventures in Birmingham. He has promoted digital assets. He's expanding the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's post-career activities appear either eclectic or aimless, depending on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are understandable. But overseeing a professional franchise is hardly a casual commitment. In addition to his other roles, Brady also serves as the de facto decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, currently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after suffering a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a quarterback making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offense averaged 2.9 yards per play before garbage-time action in the final period. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any team this season. On defense, Las Vegas allowed significant gains to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for most of the season. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Collection of Questionable Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's personnel choices, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last offseason, and all of them has backfired. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless franchise in the league.

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 manage a long slog back up the standings. He was expected to return the team to competitiveness and then hand them off 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 reboot.

Franchise Turmoil

This isn't entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through head coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll said 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 hired a close associate, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Smith and selecting a RB No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he approved entrusting a flaky blocking unit – the bedrock for that coach and ball carrier – 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 competitive and resilient. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive scheme, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any hopes for their rookie and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, counting down the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was stark. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Their star defender, now just five sacks away from the league all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the impressive rookie class that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at running back and a skilled defender at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be the permanent solution at QB, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Granted, it was against the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not too big for him. With a full week to get ready, he was solid, accepting what the defense gave him and showing glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his debut game since 1995.

Lack of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players represent promise. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Good organizations understand their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a couple of moves away from respectability. Despite the clear indications to the contrary, they haven't pivoted during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out young players to find out what they have for the future. But only two rookies have seen significant action. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaches and the front office regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers two young talents have combined for nine receptions in eleven contests, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on defense over young players in need of experience.

Unclear Future

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or the GM or the quarterback? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, approves franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on other projects?

It will prove a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division stacked with consistently successful teams. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Titans and Giants have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No quarterback. No distinctive style. No plan.

The only thing more problematic than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're bad. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are building, or who will make decisions in the offseason.

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