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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a singular mission: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in league history. He achieved that goal. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has explored various endeavors. He serves as a commentator for Fox. He's engaged in construction projects in Birmingham. He has endorsed digital assets. He's spreading American football to the Middle East. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's post-career ventures appear either eclectic or aimless, based on your viewpoint.

Secondary ventures are one thing. But managing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. Alongside his other roles, Brady functions as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, currently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a quarterback making his professional debut. The Raiders' offense averaged less than three yards per play before garbage-time action in the final period. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a single-game high for any team this year. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been ineffective for most of the campaign. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to witness it. The architect of this current situation was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Collection of Dubious Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's personnel choices, after becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every major decision last offseason, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions 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 hire 74-year-old Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a Super Bowl and a NCAA title, to manage a long slog 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 facing the possibility of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Turmoil

This isn't entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. Mark Davis is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a instability that has erased any clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's fingerprints that are all over this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to leave his mark on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed John Spytek, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as GM. He approved a team strategy to the coach's specifications, including trading a draft selection for Geno Smith and selecting a RB with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he signed off on entrusting a unreliable offensive line – the bedrock for that coordinator 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 scrappy and competitive. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' blocking unit has submarined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the end of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Their star defender, now just five sacks away from the league all-time mark, leads a formidable defense. And there is optimism around the impressive rookie class that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at RB and a skilled defender at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Granted, it was against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was effective, accepting what the opposition gave him and displaying flashes of improvisation. 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 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 undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season thinking they were a few adjustments away from respectability. In spite of the clear indications to the contrary, they failed to adjust midstream. 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 tension between the coaching staff and the front office regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the offensive line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers two young talents have combined for nine catches in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize experienced veterans on the defensive side over rookies in need of experience.

Uncertain Future

Where is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or the GM or Smith? And who actually makes those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise operate when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off major organizational decisions, and then vanishes on other projects?

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a conference stacked with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have paths. The Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No plan.

The single factor more problematic than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are building, or who will make decisions in the summer.

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