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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a singular mission: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in league history. He achieved that dream. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has explored numerous endeavors. He serves as a commentator for Fox. He's engaged in development ventures in Birmingham. He has endorsed digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's post-career activities appear either eclectic or aimless, based on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But managing a professional franchise is hardly a part-time job. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial 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 Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were embarrassed by a underperforming team with a quarterback making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offense averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless plays in the final period. Their quarterback was tackled 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a season record for any team this season. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been dysfunctional for most of the campaign. Any way you slice it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. At least 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 another game.

A Collection of Questionable Decisions

In fairness to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the organization in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last offseason, and all of them has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless franchise in the league.

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 Super Bowl and a NCAA title, to manage a protracted process back up the league table. He was expected to restore the team to relevance and then hand them off 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 Turmoil

This isn't all Brady's fault, naturally. Mark Davis is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through coaches and front-office heads at a rate that would make even the Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a instability that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," 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 put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady made the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to act as GM. He approved a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including trading a third-round pick for Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the NCAA, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the league. And he signed off on entrusting a flaky blocking unit – the bedrock for that coach and ball carrier – to Carroll's son.

Catastrophic Results

It's been a disaster. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and competitive. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any hopes for their rookie and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was expected 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 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 NFL single-season record, leads a formidable defense. And there is positive outlook around the impressive rookie class that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at RB and a skilled defender at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was solid, accepting what the opposition gave him and showing glimpses 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' first-year players symbolize promise. That's a mirror 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 rebuilding. Vegas began the season thinking they were a few adjustments away from respectability. In spite of the clear indications otherwise, they haven't pivoted during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be throwing out young players to find out what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has reportedly already been tension between the coaching staff and the front office regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine receptions in eleven contests, despite the ineffectiveness in the passing game. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on the defensive side over young players in need of experience.

Uncertain Future

What is the path forward? Will the coach return or Spytek or Smith? And who actually makes those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its most powerful decision-maker participates sporadically, signs off major organizational decisions, and then vanishes on side quests?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Titans and Giants have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing more dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not knowing you're bad. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are building, or who will make decisions in the summer.

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