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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 dream. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into various pursuits. He works as a broadcaster for a major network. He's involved in development ventures in Birmingham. He has endorsed digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to the Middle East. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his family pet. Brady's post-career activities appear either diverse or unfocused, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But overseeing a NFL team is hardly a part-time job. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, presently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were embarrassed by a struggling team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before garbage-time action in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any team this year. On defense, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been dysfunctional for most of the season. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to watch. The architect of this latest Vegas mess was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Questionable Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's football decisions, after becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last offseason, and each one has backfired. Those decisions have left the Raiders as the least entertaining and aimless franchise in the league.

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

Organizational Turmoil

This isn't all Brady's fault, naturally. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. Still, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider Tom Pelissero said last offseason. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll said of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to leave his mark on a team."

Brady was responsible for the key hires and set the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed John Spytek, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He approved a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including dealing a third-round pick for Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning OC in the NFL. And he signed off on handing a flaky offensive line – the foundation for that coordinator and ball carrier – to Carroll's son.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It's been a disaster. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and competitive. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any hopes for their rookie and the ground attack. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the plays to the conclusion of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. 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 positive outlook around the stellar-looking first-year players that includes multiple promising talents – Quinshon Judkins at RB and a skilled defender at linebacker. 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 against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the stage was not overwhelming for him. With a full week to get ready, he was effective, accepting what the defense gave him and displaying flashes of creativity. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his debut game since 1995.

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class symbolize promise. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations recognize their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 believing they were a couple of moves away from respectability. Despite the clear indications to the contrary, they haven't pivoted midstream. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be playing rookies 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 rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers two young talents have totaled nine receptions in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to utilize experienced veterans on defense over young players in need of experience.

Unclear Direction

What is the path forward? Will the coach return or Spytek or Smith? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, approves franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on other projects?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a division filled with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have paths. The New York Jets are stocked with upcoming selections. 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 dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not recognizing 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 ruthless focus. The Raiders could use more than an hour of it.