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Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a singular objective: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in league history. He accomplished that dream. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into numerous endeavors. He works as a commentator for Fox. He's engaged in construction projects in Birmingham. He has endorsed cryptocurrency. He's spreading American football to Saudi Arabia. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's post-career ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, based on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But overseeing a professional franchise is hardly a casual commitment. Alongside his other roles, Brady also serves as the de facto football leader for the Las Vegas franchise, currently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offense averaged less than three 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 year. On defense, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for the majority of the season. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. At least Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess 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 football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every major decision last offseason, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't expected to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't appoint veteran coach Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a college national championship, to oversee a protracted process back up the standings. He was supposed to restore the team to competitiveness and then transition them with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Dysfunction

This is not entirely Brady's responsibility, naturally. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head 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 iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," NFL Insider Tom Pelissero commented last summer. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll said of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to leave his mark on a franchise."

Brady made the key hires and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed John Spytek, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to act as general manager. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including trading a third-round pick for Geno Smith and drafting a RB with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning OC in the NFL. And he approved handing a unreliable offensive line – the foundation for that coordinator and ball carrier – to Carroll's son.

Disastrous Results

It has become a disaster. 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 implemented an outdated defensive scheme, Smith 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 energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Myles Garrett, now just five quarterback takedowns away from the NFL single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the impressive rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – a dynamic runner at RB and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be the permanent solution at QB, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the stage was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was effective, taking what the defense gave him and showing flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Vision

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' first-year players represent future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations recognize their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas entered 2025 believing they were a couple of moves away from respectability. In spite of the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they haven't pivoted midstream. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to discover what they have for the future. But only two first-year players have seen significant action. There has apparently already been tension between the coaches and the front office regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers two young talents have combined for nine catches in eleven contests, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on the defensive side over young players in need of reps.

Unclear Direction

What is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or the quarterback? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team function when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, approves franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on side quests?

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a conference stacked with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have little to build upon. No core. No franchise QB. No identity. 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 building, or who will make decisions in the offseason.

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