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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a singular mission: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in league history. He accomplished that dream. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into various pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for Fox. He's engaged in construction projects in the UK. He has endorsed cryptocurrency. He's expanding the NFL to the Middle East. He operates a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's post-career ventures appear either diverse or aimless, depending on your viewpoint.

Secondary ventures are understandable. But overseeing a NFL team is hardly a casual commitment. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial decision-maker for the Raiders, presently the least successful 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 get defeated; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a quarterback making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless plays in the final period. Their quarterback was tackled 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a season record for any team this season. On defense, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for the majority of the campaign. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. At least Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was sitting in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Series of Dubious Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last offseason, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless team in the NFL.

This wasn't expected to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't appoint 74-year-old Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a championship and a NCAA title, to manage 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. 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 isn't entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has churned through coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a instability that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last summer. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll said of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to put his stamp on a team."

Brady was responsible for the key hires and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to serve as GM. He approved a team strategy to the coach's specifications, including dealing a draft selection for Geno Smith and selecting a RB with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing O-line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he signed off on handing a unreliable blocking unit – the bedrock for that coach and running back – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Results

It has become a disaster. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and competitive. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down the plays to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Their star defender, now just five quarterback takedowns away from the NFL all-time mark, leads a formidable defense. And there is positive outlook around the impressive first-year players that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at RB and Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the short-term.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a full week to prepare, he was solid, taking what the opposition gave him and showing 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 represent future potential. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Good organizations recognize their position in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a frisky playoff team, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season thinking they were a couple of moves away from competitiveness. In spite of the clear indications to the contrary, they haven't pivoted midstream. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to find out what they have for the coming years. But only two rookies have seen significant action. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaches and the management regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a weak point. Rookie receivers two young talents have totaled nine catches in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on defense over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Future

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or the GM or Smith? And who actually makes those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise operate when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on other projects?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference filled with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have paths. The Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No quarterback. No distinctive style. No strategic vision.

The only thing more dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not recognizing you're underperforming. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are building, or who will call the shots in the summer.

Tom Brady once mastered football through ruthless focus. The Raiders could benefit from more than an hour of it.