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Tom Brady committed 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 explored numerous endeavors. He serves as a commentator for a major network. He's engaged in development ventures in Birmingham. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's spreading American football to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's retirement ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, depending on your viewpoint.

Secondary ventures are one thing. But overseeing a professional franchise is hardly a casual commitment. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the unofficial decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the least successful team in the league.

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' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless plays 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 defense, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been ineffective for the majority of the season. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was sitting in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Series of Questionable Decisions

In fairness to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's personnel choices, becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last summer, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and aimless team in the NFL.

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 championship and a college national championship, to oversee a protracted process back up the league table. He was expected to return the team to competitiveness and then hand them off with a solid foundation in place. Instead, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Organizational Turmoil

This isn't all Brady's fault, naturally. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a instability that has erased any clear strategic direction. Still, it's Brady's influence that are all over this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last summer. "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 was responsible for the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He recruited an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning OC in the league. And he signed off on handing a flaky offensive line – the bedrock for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Disastrous Outcomes

It's been a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and competitive. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an old-fashioned defensive scheme, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any aspirations for their rookie and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the end of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Their star defender, now just five sacks away from the NFL all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the impressive first-year players that includes multiple promising talents – Quinshon Judkins at RB and a skilled defender 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.

Granted, it was against the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the stage was not overwhelming for him. With a full week to get ready, he was solid, accepting what the defense gave him and showing glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his debut game since 1995.

Absence of Direction

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class represent promise. That's a reflection the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations recognize their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas began the season believing they were a couple of moves away from competitiveness. In spite of the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they failed to adjust during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing young players to find out what they have for the future. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has reportedly already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the management regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the offensive line being a sieve. Rookie receivers 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 utilize experienced veterans on defense over rookies in need of experience.

Uncertain Future

What is the future direction? Will the coach return or Spytek or Smith? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off 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 stacked with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other rebuilders have paths. The New York Jets are loaded with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

The single factor more problematic than being ineffective in the NFL is not recognizing you're bad. The Raiders don't know 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.