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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a unwavering objective: becoming the most accomplished QB in league history. He accomplished that goal. Now, in retirement, Brady has explored various endeavors. He works as a broadcaster for Fox. He's engaged in development ventures in Birmingham. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's expanding the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He operates a popular YouTube channel. He even cloned his family pet. Brady's retirement ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, based on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But overseeing a NFL team is not a part-time job. In addition to his other roles, Brady also serves as the de facto decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, currently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a decisive loss to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were embarrassed by a struggling team with a quarterback making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before garbage-time plays in the fourth quarter. Their quarterback was tackled 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this year. On defense, Las Vegas allowed big plays 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 watch. The architect of this latest Vegas mess was working in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Collection of Questionable Choices

To be fair to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's football decisions, becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last summer, and each one has backfired. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless team in the NFL.

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 Super Bowl and a NCAA title, to oversee a protracted process back up the standings. He was supposed to return the team to relevance and then transition them with a solid foundation in place. Instead, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Organizational Dysfunction

This isn't all Brady's fault, of course. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through head coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a instability that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are all over this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter a prominent journalist said last summer. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll said of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to put his stamp on a team."

Brady made the key hires and placed the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired a close associate, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Geno Smith and drafting a RB No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He recruited an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he approved handing a flaky blocking unit – 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 four-win team, but they were scrappy and competitive. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. If nothing else, Carroll was expected to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was pronounced. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the NFL 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 – a dynamic runner at running back and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was facing 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 effective, accepting what the defense gave him and displaying flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Direction

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players represent promise. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises 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 couple of moves away from respectability. In spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they haven't pivoted during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be playing rookies to discover what they have for the future. But only two rookies have seen significant action. There has apparently already been tension between the coaches and the management regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers two young talents have totaled nine receptions in eleven contests, despite the ineffectiveness in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on defense over young players in need of experience.

Unclear Future

What is the path forward? Will the coach return or Spytek or the quarterback? And who actually makes those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a team function when its most powerful decision-maker participates sporadically, approves franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on other projects?

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No foundation. No franchise QB. No distinctive style. No plan.

The only thing more dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not recognizing you're underperforming. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are developing, or who will call the shots in the summer.

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