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Tom Brady dedicated 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering objective: becoming the greatest quarterback in league history. He accomplished that goal. Today, in retirement, Brady has ventured into numerous endeavors. He works as a commentator for Fox. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's expanding American football to the Middle East. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are understandable. But overseeing a NFL team is not a part-time job. Alongside his other roles, Brady functions as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, currently the least successful team in the NFL.

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 underperforming team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offense averaged 2.9 yards per play before garbage-time action in the final period. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this season. On defense, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been ineffective for most of the season. Any way you slice it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. Fortunately Brady didn't have to witness it. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Questionable Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's personnel choices, becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last offseason, and all of them has backfired. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless franchise in the league.

This wasn't supposed to be a multi-year rebuild. 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 manage a protracted process back up the standings. He was expected to return the team to relevance and then transition them with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the possibility of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Turmoil

This is not all Brady's fault, naturally. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through head coaches and executives 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 instability that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter Tom Pelissero commented last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to leave his mark on a franchise."

Brady made the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired John Spytek, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to act as GM. He greenlit a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including dealing a third-round pick for Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing O-line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he signed off on entrusting a unreliable blocking unit – the bedrock for that coach and running back – to Carroll's son.

Disastrous Results

It's been a complete failure. The previous year'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 philosophy, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any hopes for their rookie and the ground attack. If nothing else, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Their star defender, now just five quarterback takedowns away from the NFL all-time mark, leads a formidable defense. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at running back and Carson Schwesinger at linebacker. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the stage was not overwhelming for him. With a full week to prepare, he was solid, taking what the opposition gave him and displaying flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his debut game since 1995.

Absence of Vision

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class symbolize promise. That's a reflection the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations recognize their position in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season thinking they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. In spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they haven't pivoted midstream. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to find out what they have for the future. But only two first-year players have seen significant action. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the management regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a weak point. Rookie receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have totaled nine receptions in eleven contests, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out grizzled vets on defense over rookies in need of reps.

Uncertain Direction

What is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or the GM or Smith? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its most powerful decision-maker participates sporadically, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on other projects?

It will prove a challenge for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a division stacked with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are stocked with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No quarterback. No identity. No plan.

The single factor more dangerous 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 call the shots in the summer.

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