🔗 Share this article

Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering mission: becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that dream. Today, in retirement, Brady has explored various endeavors. He works as a broadcaster for a major network. He's involved in construction projects in the UK. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's expanding American football to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement activities appear either eclectic or aimless, based on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are understandable. But managing a professional franchise is hardly a casual commitment. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the unofficial decision-maker for the Raiders, currently the least successful team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after enduring a decisive loss to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were embarrassed by a struggling team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offense averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless action in the final period. Their quarterback was tackled 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a season record for any team this season. On defense, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been ineffective for the majority 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 working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Collection of Dubious Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's personnel choices, becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last offseason, and all of them has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the most unwatchable and aimless franchise in the league.

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 championship and a college national championship, to manage a long slog back up the league table. He was supposed to restore the team to competitiveness and then hand them off with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the prospect of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Franchise Dysfunction

This isn't all Brady's fault, of course. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through head coaches and executives at a rate that would make even the Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh 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 evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," NFL Insider a prominent journalist said last offseason. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to leave his mark on a team."

Brady was responsible for the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this rudderless course. He hired John Spytek, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to act as general manager. He greenlit a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Smith and drafting a RB No 6 overall despite having a poor-performing O-line. He lured Chip Kelly away from the college ranks, making him the highest-paid 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 disaster. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and competitive. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring enthusiasm. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down the snaps to the end of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was stark. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the NFL single-season record, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the stellar-looking first-year players that includes multiple promising talents – a dynamic runner at RB and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the short-term.

Admittedly, it was facing the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not too big for him. With a full week to prepare, he was effective, taking what the defense gave him and showing flashes of improvisation. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Lack of Vision

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class symbolize promise. That's a reflection the Raiders should avoid. Successful franchises recognize their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season believing they were a couple of moves away from competitiveness. Despite the clear indications to the contrary, they haven't pivoted during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be throwing out young players to find out what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen significant action. There has reportedly already been disagreement between the coaches and the management regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a weak point. Rookie receivers two young talents 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 young players in need of reps.

Unclear Direction

What is the future direction? Will the coach return or Spytek or Smith? And who actually makes those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team function when its primary influencer participates sporadically, approves franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on other projects?

It's going to be a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division stacked with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The Jets are stocked with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have little to build upon. No core. No quarterback. No identity. No plan.

The single factor more problematic 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 make decisions in the summer.

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