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Tom Brady committed over two decades to a unwavering mission: establishing himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that dream. Now, in retirement, Brady has ventured into various pursuits. He serves as a commentator for Fox. He's involved in development ventures in Birmingham. He has promoted digital assets. He's expanding the NFL to the Middle East. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's retirement activities appear either diverse or aimless, based on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are understandable. But overseeing a NFL team is hardly a casual commitment. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, currently the least successful team in the NFL.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on Sunday 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 garbage-time plays in the final period. Their quarterback was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a single-game high for any franchise this season. On the defensive side, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offense that has been dysfunctional for most of the season. However you analyze it, it was a comprehensive beatdown. At least Brady didn't have to witness it. The architect of this latest Vegas mess was sitting in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for another game.

A Series of Questionable Choices

In fairness to Brady, he has only been involved for a year leading the team's personnel choices, becoming a partial stakeholder of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last offseason, and each one has backfired. Those decisions have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless franchise in the league.

This wasn't expected to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't hire 74-year-old Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a championship and a college national championship, to manage a protracted process back up the standings. He was supposed to restore the team to relevance and then transition them with a solid foundation in place. Conversely, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Organizational Dysfunction

This isn't all Brady's fault, of course. Mark Davis is still the majority owner. Davis has churned through coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a instability that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," league reporter Tom Pelissero commented last summer. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll said of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to leave his mark on a team."

Brady made the crucial appointments and placed the Raiders on this directionless path. He appointed a close associate, his college buddy and co-worker in Tampa, to act as general manager. He approved a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including dealing a draft selection for Geno Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a poor-performing O-line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he signed off on handing a flaky offensive line – the bedrock for that coach and ball carrier – to Carroll's son.

Disastrous Results

It's been a disaster. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and resilient. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive scheme, the quarterback looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any hopes for their rookie and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was supposed to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. 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 rookie class that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at RB and a skilled defender at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be The Answer at QB, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

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

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players represent future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations understand their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas began the season believing they were a couple of moves away from respectability. In spite of the overwhelming evidence otherwise, they failed to adjust during the season. Similar to the Browns, Vegas should be playing rookies to find out what they have for the coming years. But only two first-year players have seen significant action. There has apparently already been tension between the coaches and the management regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a weak point. First-year pass catchers two young talents have totaled nine receptions in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on the defensive side over young players in need of reps.

Unclear Direction

Where is the future direction? Will the coach return or the GM or Smith? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a team function when its primary influencer participates sporadically, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then disappears on other projects?

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division filled with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, other reconstructing teams have paths. The New York Jets are stocked with upcoming selections. The Titans and Giants have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No foundation. No franchise QB. No distinctive style. No strategic vision.

The single factor 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 building, or who will make decisions in the offseason.

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