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Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a unwavering objective: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that goal. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into numerous endeavors. He works as a broadcaster for a major network. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has endorsed digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to the Middle East. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's post-career ventures appear either eclectic or aimless, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But overseeing a NFL team is not a part-time job. Alongside his other roles, Brady also serves as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, presently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after suffering a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were embarrassed by a struggling team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offense averaged 2.9 yards per play before garbage-time action in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any team this season. On defense, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been dysfunctional for the majority of the campaign. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. 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 Collection of Dubious Choices

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year leading the team's football decisions, after becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last offseason, and all of them has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and aimless team in the league.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't hire 74-year-old 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 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 Turmoil

This isn't entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's fingerprints that are all over this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter Tom Pelissero said last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll said of Brady at his first press 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 rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his former teammate and co-worker in Tampa, to act as GM. He approved a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including dealing a draft selection for Geno Smith and selecting a running back No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning OC in the league. And he approved entrusting a unreliable blocking unit – the bedrock for that coach and running back – to Carroll's son.

Disastrous Outcomes

It has become a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were competitive and resilient. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an old-fashioned defensive scheme, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' blocking unit has submarined any aspirations for their rookie and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, counting down the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was stark. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Their star defender, now just five sacks away from the league single-season record, leads a formidable defense. And there is optimism around the stellar-looking first-year players that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at RB and Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a full week to get ready, he was effective, taking what the defense gave him and displaying flashes of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Vision

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class symbolize promise. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises recognize their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. Despite the clear indications to the contrary, they failed to adjust during the season. 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 reportedly already been tension between the coaching staff and the front office regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a sieve. Rookie receivers 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 experienced veterans on the defensive side over rookies in need of reps.

Unclear Direction

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or Smith? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its most powerful decision-maker logs in occasionally, approves 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 division stacked with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No core. No franchise QB. No distinctive style. No plan.

The single factor more dangerous than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are developing, or who will make decisions in the summer.

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