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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a singular mission: becoming the most accomplished QB in league history. He achieved that goal. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into various pursuits. He works as a commentator for a major network. He's involved in development ventures in the UK. He has promoted digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement activities appear either eclectic or aimless, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are understandable. But overseeing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. In addition to his other roles, Brady also serves as the de facto decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the least successful team in the NFL.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were embarrassed by a underperforming team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offense averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless plays in the fourth quarter. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this year. On the defensive side, Las Vegas allowed significant gains to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for most of the season. Any way you slice 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 Series of Dubious Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's personnel choices, becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last offseason, and all of them has backfired. Those moves have left the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless team in the NFL.

This wasn't expected to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't hire veteran coach Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a NCAA title, to oversee a long slog back up the standings. He was expected to return the team to relevance and then hand them off with a solid foundation in place. Instead, Carroll is facing the possibility of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Organizational Dysfunction

This isn't entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through head coaches and front-office heads 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 eliminated any clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter Tom Pelissero commented last offseason. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady made the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired a close associate, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to act as GM. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a third-round pick for Geno Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing offensive line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he signed off on handing a unreliable blocking unit – the bedrock for that coach and ball carrier – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It has become a disaster. Last season's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were competitive and competitive. This year's Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks washed and the Raiders' blocking unit has submarined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, waiting for the plays to the end of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was stark. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the league all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – a dynamic runner at running back and a skilled defender at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at QB, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Granted, it was against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a full week to prepare, he was solid, accepting what the defense gave him and showing glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class 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 undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season believing they were a few adjustments away from respectability. Despite the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they failed to adjust during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out young players to discover what they have for the future. But only two first-year players have seen significant action. There has reportedly already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the management regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a weak point. Rookie receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have combined for nine catches in eleven contests, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on the defensive side over rookies in need of experience.

Uncertain Direction

Where is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or Smith? And who actually makes those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, signs off major organizational decisions, and then vanishes on other projects?

It will prove a challenge for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference filled with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, 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 foundation. No franchise QB. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing more dangerous than being ineffective 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 ruthless focus. The Raiders could use more than limited attention of it.