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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a unwavering objective: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in league history. He achieved that dream. Today, in retirement, Brady has explored numerous pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for Fox. He's engaged in construction projects in Birmingham. He has endorsed cryptocurrency. He's spreading the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his family pet. Brady's retirement ventures appear either diverse or unfocused, based on your perspective.

Side projects are understandable. But overseeing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, currently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were embarrassed 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. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any team this season. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been ineffective for most of the campaign. Any way you slice it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. Fortunately Brady didn't have to watch. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Collection of Dubious Decisions

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the organization 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 directionless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't supposed to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't appoint veteran coach Pete Carroll, one of only three coaches to win both a championship and a NCAA title, to oversee a protracted process back up the standings. He was expected to restore the team to competitiveness and then transition them with a solid foundation in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the possibility of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Dysfunction

This is not all Brady's fault, naturally. The majority owner is still the majority owner. Davis has churned through head coaches and front-office heads at a rate that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a instability that has erased any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's influence that are all over this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter Tom Pelissero said last offseason. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll said of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his chance to leave his mark on a franchise."

Brady made the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed a close associate, his former teammate and colleague in Tampa, to act as GM. He approved a team strategy to the coach's specifications, including dealing a draft selection for Geno Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he approved entrusting a flaky offensive line – the bedrock for that coordinator and ball carrier – to Carroll's son.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It's been a disaster. The previous year's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and competitive. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any hopes for their rookie and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was expected to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was pronounced. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the league all-time mark, leads a formidable defense. And there is positive outlook around the impressive first-year players that includes multiple promising talents – a dynamic runner at running back and Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the short-term.

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 effective, accepting what the opposition gave him and showing glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his debut game since 1995.

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class represent future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises understand their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a competitive squad, or rebuilding. Vegas began the season believing they were a couple of moves away from competitiveness. Despite the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they haven't pivoted during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be throwing out young players to discover what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has reportedly already been tension between the coaching staff and the front office regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the offensive line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers two young talents have totaled nine catches in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize experienced veterans on defense over young players in need of experience.

Uncertain Direction

What is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or Spytek or Smith? And who actually makes those choices, 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 side quests?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a conference stacked with consistently successful teams. Meanwhile, other reconstructing teams have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are stocked with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing more problematic than being ineffective in the NFL is not knowing you're bad. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are developing, or who will make decisions in the summer.

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