🔗 Share this article

Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a singular objective: becoming the greatest quarterback in league history. He accomplished that dream. Today, in retirement, Brady has explored numerous pursuits. He serves as a commentator for a major network. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's spreading American football to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a popular YouTube channel. He even cloned his family pet. Brady's post-career ventures appear either eclectic or aimless, depending on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are one thing. But managing a professional franchise is not a part-time job. In addition to his other roles, Brady functions as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, presently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a underperforming team with a quarterback making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless action in the final period. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this year. On defense, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been dysfunctional for the majority of the season. However you analyze it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. At least Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Questionable Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's football decisions, after becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last summer, and all of them has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't hire veteran coach Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a Super Bowl and a NCAA title, to oversee a protracted process back up the league table. He was expected to restore the team to relevance and then transition them with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is staring at the possibility of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Franchise Dysfunction

This is not entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has cycled through coaches and executives at a rate that would make even the Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a instability that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Still, it's Brady's influence that are all over this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter Tom Pelissero said last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady made the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed John Spytek, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to act as general manager. He approved a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including trading a third-round pick for Geno Smith and selecting a RB No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the highest-paid OC in the league. And he signed off on handing a unreliable blocking unit – the bedrock for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Outcomes

It has become a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and competitive. This year's Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive scheme, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' blocking unit has undermined any aspirations for their rookie and the ground attack. If nothing else, Carroll was expected to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, counting down the plays to the conclusion 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 NFL all-time mark, leads a formidable defense. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at RB and Carson Schwesinger at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was solid, accepting what the defense gave him and showing flashes of creativity. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players represent promise. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations recognize their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they haven't pivoted during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be throwing out young players to discover what they have for the future. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaches and the management regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a sieve. 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 roll out grizzled vets on the defensive side over young players in need of experience.

Uncertain Direction

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

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division filled with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have paths. The Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Titans and Giants have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

The single factor 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 building, or who will make decisions in the offseason.

Tom Brady once excelled at football through intense dedication. The Raiders could benefit from more than limited attention of it.