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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a unwavering objective: becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He achieved that goal. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has explored numerous pursuits. He works as a broadcaster for Fox. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has endorsed digital assets. He's spreading American football to the Middle East. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are understandable. But managing a NFL team is hardly a casual commitment. Alongside his other roles, Brady also serves as the unofficial decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a underperforming 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 sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a season record for any franchise this year. On the defensive side, Las Vegas allowed significant gains to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for the majority of the season. However you analyze it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. Fortunately Brady didn't have to witness it. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was sitting 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 guiding the team's personnel choices, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last offseason, and each one has backfired. Those moves have left the Raiders as the least entertaining and aimless team in the NFL.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't appoint veteran coach Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a NCAA title, to oversee a protracted process back up the league table. He was supposed to restore the team to competitiveness and then hand them off with a stable base in place. Instead, 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 all Brady's fault, of course. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through head coaches and front-office heads at a rate that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a instability that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter Tom Pelissero said last offseason. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to put his stamp on a team."

Brady made the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired John Spytek, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as GM. He greenlit a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including trading a draft selection for Geno Smith and selecting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing O-line. He recruited an offensive innovator away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning OC in the league. And he approved handing a unreliable offensive line – the foundation for that coordinator and running back – to Carroll's son.

Disastrous Results

It's been a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and competitive. This year's Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' blocking unit has submarined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. If nothing else, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the plays to the end of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was stark. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the league 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 running back and a skilled defender at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at QB, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Granted, it was against the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to prepare, he was solid, accepting what the opposition gave him and showing flashes of creativity. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his debut game since 1995.

Lack of Direction

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' first-year players represent future potential. That's a reflection the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations understand their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas began the season believing they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. Despite the clear indications to the contrary, they haven't pivoted midstream. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing young players 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 offensive line being a sieve. Rookie receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine catches in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on the defensive side over young players in need of reps.

Unclear Future

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or the GM or the quarterback? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its most powerful decision-maker logs in occasionally, approves franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on side quests?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division filled with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have clear trajectories. The Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No foundation. No quarterback. No identity. No plan.

The only thing more problematic than being ineffective in the NFL is not recognizing you're underperforming. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are developing, or who will make decisions in the offseason.

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