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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a unwavering mission: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in league history. He achieved that goal. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has explored numerous pursuits. He serves as a commentator for Fox. He's involved in construction projects in Birmingham. He has promoted digital assets. He's spreading the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He operates a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement ventures appear either diverse or unfocused, based on your viewpoint.

Secondary ventures are one thing. But managing a professional franchise is hardly a casual commitment. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the de facto decision-maker for the Raiders, presently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after suffering a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a quarterback making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before garbage-time plays in the final period. Their quarterback was tackled 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 dysfunctional for the majority of the season. Any way you slice it, it was a thorough domination. At least Brady didn't have to witness it. The architect of this latest Vegas mess was sitting in Dallas on the network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Dubious Choices

To be fair to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's personnel choices, becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last offseason, and all of them has backfired. Those moves have left the Raiders as the least entertaining and aimless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't expected to be a lengthy reconstruction. 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 expected to restore the team to competitiveness and then hand them off with a stable base in place. Instead, Carroll is facing the possibility of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Organizational Dysfunction

This is not all Brady's fault, naturally. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through head coaches and front-office heads at a rate that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh 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," league reporter a prominent journalist said last summer. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll said of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to put his stamp 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 co-worker in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He greenlit a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including trading a third-round pick for Smith and selecting a RB No 6 overall despite having a poor-performing offensive line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the highest-paid OC in the league. And he approved 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 disaster. Last season's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were scrappy and resilient. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any aspirations for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was supposed 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 embers of hope. Myles Garrett, now just five quarterback takedowns away from the NFL single-season record, leads a formidable defense. And there is optimism around the impressive first-year players that includes multiple promising talents – a dynamic runner at running back and a skilled defender at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the immediate future.

Admittedly, it was against the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the stage was not too big for him. With a full week to get ready, he was solid, taking what the defense gave him and displaying flashes of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Direction

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players symbolize promise. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises understand their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season thinking they were a few adjustments away from competitiveness. Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they failed to adjust during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be throwing out rookies to discover what they have for the future. But only two rookies have seen significant action. There has apparently already been tension between the coaches and the management regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a weak point. 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 utilize grizzled vets on the defensive side over rookies in need of experience.

Unclear Direction

What is the future direction? Will the coach return or Spytek or the quarterback? And who actually makes those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, approves major organizational decisions, and then vanishes on side quests?

It's going to be a challenge 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 future draft picks. The Titans and Giants have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. 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 lack clarity on where they are, what they are developing, 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.