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Tom Brady dedicated 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering objective: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in league history. He accomplished that dream. Today, in retirement, Brady has ventured into various pursuits. He works as a commentator for a major network. He's involved in construction projects in Birmingham. He has endorsed cryptocurrency. He's expanding the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He operates a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's retirement activities appear either diverse or unfocused, based on your viewpoint.

Secondary ventures are understandable. But managing a professional franchise is not a part-time job. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, currently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on Sunday after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a underperforming team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offense averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless action in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this year. On defense, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit 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 watch. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Series of Questionable Decisions

In fairness 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 accountable for every major decision last summer, and each one has backfired. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the most unwatchable and aimless franchise in the league.

This wasn't expected to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't hire 74-year-old Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a college national championship, to manage a long slog back up the standings. He was expected to return the team to competitiveness and then transition them with a stable base in place. Instead, Carroll is facing the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Franchise Dysfunction

This isn't entirely Brady's responsibility, naturally. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has churned through head coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter Tom Pelissero said last summer. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll said of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his opportunity to put his stamp on a team."

Brady made the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed a close associate, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to act as general manager. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including trading a draft selection for Smith and selecting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing offensive line. He recruited an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he signed off on entrusting a flaky offensive line – the bedrock for that coordinator and ball carrier – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Outcomes

It has become a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were scrappy and resilient. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks washed and the Raiders' blocking unit has undermined any aspirations for their rookie and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was stark. 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 single-season record, leads a formidable defense. And there is positive outlook around the impressive first-year players that includes multiple promising talents – Quinshon Judkins at running back and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the stage was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was solid, accepting what the defense gave him and displaying glimpses of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Vision

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class represent promise. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Good organizations recognize their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a couple of moves away from respectability. In spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they failed to adjust during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing rookies to discover what they have for the future. But only two rookies have seen significant action. There has reportedly already been disagreement between the coaches and the management regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the offensive line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have combined for nine catches in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the passing game. Carroll continues to utilize experienced veterans on defense over young players in need of experience.

Uncertain Direction

What is the path forward? Will the coach return or the GM or the quarterback? And who actually makes those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, approves franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on other projects?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a conference stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have paths. The New York Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No quarterback. No distinctive style. No strategic vision.

The single factor more problematic than being bad in the NFL is not knowing you're bad. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are building, or who will call the shots in the offseason.

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