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Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a singular objective: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that goal. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into numerous endeavors. He works as a broadcaster for Fox. He's engaged in development ventures in Birmingham. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's spreading American football to the Middle East. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He even cloned his family pet. Brady's post-career activities appear either eclectic or unfocused, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are understandable. But overseeing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. In addition to his other roles, Brady functions as the de facto decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the least successful team in the NFL.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a underperforming team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before garbage-time plays in the final period. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a season record for any franchise this season. On defense, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for the majority of the season. Any way you slice it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to witness it. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Dubious Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's football decisions, 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 decisions have left the Raiders as the most unwatchable and aimless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't expected to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't appoint 74-year-old Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a NCAA title, to oversee a protracted process back up the standings. He was expected to return the team to competitiveness and then transition them with a solid foundation in place. Instead, Carroll is facing the possibility of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Organizational Dysfunction

This is not all Brady's fault, naturally. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through coaches and executives at a rate that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. 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 Brady's project," NFL Insider Tom Pelissero said last summer. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to leave his mark on a team."

Brady was responsible for the key hires and set the Raiders on this rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his former teammate and colleague in Tampa, to act as GM. He approved a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Smith and selecting a RB with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning OC in the NFL. And he signed off on entrusting a flaky offensive line – the bedrock for that coach and running back – to Carroll's son.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It's been a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were scrappy and competitive. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless 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 glimmers of optimism. Their star defender, now just five sacks away from the league all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the stellar-looking first-year players that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at running back and a skilled defender at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders demonstrated that the stage was not too big for him. With a full week to prepare, he was effective, accepting what the defense gave him and showing glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his debut game since 1995.

Absence of Direction

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class symbolize future potential. That's a reflection the Raiders should avoid. Successful franchises understand their position in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a couple of moves away from respectability. Despite the clear indications otherwise, they failed to adjust during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be playing young players to discover what they have for the future. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the management regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a sieve. Rookie receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine catches in eleven contests, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on the defensive side over young players in need of experience.

Uncertain Future

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or the quarterback? And who actually makes those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its most powerful decision-maker participates sporadically, signs off major organizational decisions, and then disappears on other projects?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division stacked with perennial playoff contenders. 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 franchise QB. No distinctive style. No strategic vision.

The single factor more problematic than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are developing, or who will call the shots in the summer.

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