🔗 Share this article

Tom Brady committed over two decades to a unwavering mission: becoming the most accomplished QB in league history. He achieved that dream. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into numerous endeavors. He works as a commentator for Fox. He's involved in construction projects in Birmingham. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's expanding American football to the Middle East. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's retirement ventures appear either diverse or aimless, based on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are understandable. But overseeing a professional franchise is not a casual commitment. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, presently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a decisive loss to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged less than three yards per play before meaningless plays in the final period. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a season record for any team this season. On defense, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been ineffective 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 primary decision-maker of this latest Vegas mess was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Series of Questionable Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year leading the team's football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the organization in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last offseason, and all of them has backfired. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and aimless team in the NFL.

This wasn't expected to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't hire veteran coach Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a Super Bowl and a college national championship, to oversee a long slog back up the standings. He was supposed to return the team to relevance and then hand them off with a solid foundation in place. Instead, Carroll is facing the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Turmoil

This is not entirely Brady's responsibility, of course. Mark Davis 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 GM in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. 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 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 key hires and set the Raiders on this rudderless course. He hired a close associate, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to serve as GM. He approved a team strategy 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 an offensive innovator away from the NCAA, making him the top-earning OC in the NFL. And he approved handing a unreliable offensive line – the bedrock for that coach and ball carrier – to Carroll's son.

Catastrophic Results

It has become a complete failure. The previous year's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were competitive and competitive. This year's Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive scheme, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' blocking unit has undermined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the end of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was pronounced. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are embers of hope. Myles Garrett, now just five quarterback takedowns away from the league all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the impressive rookie class that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at RB and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at QB, but who is a viable option in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders showed that the stage was not too big for him. With a full week to get ready, he was effective, taking what the defense gave him and showing glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his debut game since 1995.

Lack of Direction

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' first-year players symbolize future potential. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Good organizations understand their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or rebuilding. Vegas began the season thinking they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. In spite of the clear indications otherwise, they haven't pivoted during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to find out what they have for the coming years. But only two rookies have seen real playing time. There has reportedly already been disagreement between the coaches and the front office regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have combined for nine receptions in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on defense over rookies in need of experience.

Uncertain Future

Where is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or the GM or the quarterback? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team operate when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, approves major organizational decisions, and then disappears on other projects?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a division stacked with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, other rebuilders have paths. The Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No strategic vision.

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

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