🔗 Share this article

Tom Brady dedicated 23 NFL seasons to a singular objective: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that dream. Now, in retirement, Brady has ventured into various pursuits. He works as a commentator for Fox. He's involved in development ventures in the UK. He has promoted digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to the Middle East. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's retirement activities appear either eclectic or unfocused, based on your perspective.

Side projects are one thing. But managing a NFL team is not a part-time job. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, currently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after enduring a decisive loss to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit 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 season. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered significant gains to a Cleveland offense that has been dysfunctional for most of the season. However you analyze it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. At least Brady didn't have to witness it. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Collection of Questionable Decisions

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's personnel choices, becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last offseason, and each one has backfired. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the most unwatchable and aimless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. 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 manage a long slog back up the standings. He was expected to return the team to relevance and then hand them off with a stable base in place. Instead, Carroll is staring at the possibility 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 majority owner. Davis has churned through head coaches and executives at a rate that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a turnover rate that has erased any clear strategic direction. Still, it's Brady's influence that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter a prominent journalist commented last summer. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his opportunity to leave his mark on a team."

Brady made the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed a close associate, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to serve as GM. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a third-round pick for Smith and selecting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he approved handing a flaky blocking unit – the foundation for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Results

It has become a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were scrappy and competitive. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' blocking unit has undermined any aspirations for their rookie and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was expected to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the league all-time mark, leads a formidable defense. And there is positive outlook around the impressive rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – Quinshon Judkins at RB and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be the permanent solution at QB, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not too big for him. With a full week to get ready, he was effective, taking what the defense gave him and showing flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class symbolize future potential. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises understand their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a couple of moves away from respectability. Despite the clear indications otherwise, they failed to adjust during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing rookies to find out what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen significant action. There has apparently already been tension between the coaches and the front office regarding the limited playing time for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers two young talents have totaled nine receptions in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on defense over rookies in need of experience.

Uncertain Direction

Where is the path forward? Will the coach return or Spytek or Smith? And who actually makes those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, approves major organizational decisions, and then vanishes on other projects?

It will prove a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division filled with consistently successful teams. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have talented young QBs. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No franchise QB. No distinctive style. No strategic vision.

The only thing more dangerous than being ineffective in the NFL is not recognizing you're bad. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are building, or who will call the shots in the summer.

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