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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a singular mission: becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that goal. Now, in retirement, Brady has ventured into numerous endeavors. He serves as a commentator for a major network. He's engaged in construction projects in Birmingham. He has endorsed digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He operates a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's retirement activities appear either eclectic or unfocused, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are understandable. But managing a professional franchise is hardly a part-time job. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, presently the least successful team in the NFL.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a underperforming team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless action in the final period. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a season record for any team this season. On defense, Las Vegas surrendered significant gains to a Cleveland offense that has been dysfunctional for the majority of the campaign. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. At least Brady didn't have to witness it. The architect of this current situation was sitting in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Series of Questionable Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's personnel choices, becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last offseason, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and aimless franchise in the league.

This wasn't expected 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 protracted process back up the league table. He was supposed to restore the team to competitiveness and then hand them off with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Organizational Turmoil

This is not all Brady's fault, naturally. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through head coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a turnover rate that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider 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 leave his mark on a team."

Brady made the key hires and placed the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed John Spytek, his former teammate and colleague in Tampa, to serve as GM. He approved a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including trading a draft selection for Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning OC in the NFL. And he signed off on entrusting a unreliable blocking unit – the foundation for that coordinator and running back – to Carroll's son.

Disastrous Outcomes

It's been a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were scrappy and competitive. This year's Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive scheme, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any hopes for their rookie and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the end of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five quarterback takedowns away from the league single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the impressive first-year players that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at running back and Carson Schwesinger 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.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to prepare, he was solid, taking what the opposition gave him and showing flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Vision

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class represent promise. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Good organizations recognize their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season believing they were a couple of moves away from competitiveness. In spite of the clear indications 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 disagreement between the coaches and the front office regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have combined for nine receptions in eleven contests, despite the ineffectiveness in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out experienced veterans on defense over rookies in need of reps.

Unclear Future

What is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or Smith? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise operate when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, approves major organizational decisions, and then disappears on side quests?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a conference stacked with consistently successful teams. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have paths. The Jets are loaded with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No franchise QB. No distinctive style. No strategic vision.

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

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