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Tom Brady committed 23 NFL seasons to a unwavering objective: becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that goal. Now, in retirement, Brady has explored various endeavors. He serves as a broadcaster for Fox. He's involved in development ventures in Birmingham. He has endorsed digital assets. He's expanding American football to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's post-career ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, based on your viewpoint.

Side projects are understandable. But overseeing a professional franchise is not a part-time job. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady also serves as the de facto football leader for the Las Vegas franchise, presently the least successful team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a decisive loss to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were embarrassed by a struggling team with a QB making his professional debut. 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 the defensive side, Las Vegas allowed big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been dysfunctional for the majority of the season. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to witness it. The primary decision-maker of this current situation was working in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Series of Questionable Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's personnel choices, becoming a partial stakeholder of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every major decision last summer, and each one has backfired. Those decisions have left the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't expected to be a lengthy reconstruction. The Raiders didn't appoint 74-year-old Pete Carroll, among a select group to win both a Super Bowl and a NCAA title, to manage a protracted process back up the league table. He was supposed to return the team to relevance and then transition them with a stable base in place. Instead, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Organizational Turmoil

This is not all Brady's fault, naturally. Mark Davis is still the majority owner. Davis has churned through head coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh head coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a instability that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. Still, it's Brady's influence that are all over this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter a prominent journalist commented last offseason. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news 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 colleague in Tampa, to act as general manager. He greenlit a team strategy to the coach's specifications, including trading a draft selection for Smith and selecting a running back No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He recruited Chip Kelly away from the NCAA, making him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the NFL. And he approved entrusting a unreliable offensive line – the foundation for that coordinator and ball carrier – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Results

It's been a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and competitive. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has implemented an old-fashioned defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has submarined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the ground attack. At the very least, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were lifeless on Sunday, counting down the snaps to the end of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was stark. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Their star defender, now just five quarterback takedowns away from the league all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking first-year players that includes multiple promising talents – Quinshon Judkins at RB and Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be The Answer at QB, but who is An Answer in the short-term.

Granted, it was facing the Raiders' defense, but Sanders demonstrated that the stage was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was effective, accepting 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' rookie class symbolize promise. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises recognize their situation in the league hierarchy: you're either a championship candidate, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas began the season thinking they were a few adjustments away from respectability. Despite the clear indications 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 rookies have seen real playing time. There has reportedly already been disagreement between the coaches and the management regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a sieve. First-year pass catchers 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 the defensive side over young players in need of experience.

Unclear Direction

What is the path forward? Will Carroll be back or the GM or Smith? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise operate when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, approves major organizational decisions, and then vanishes on other projects?

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a division stacked with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other reconstructing teams have paths. The Jets are stocked with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have promising young quarterbacks. The Raiders have nothing. No core. No franchise QB. No identity. No strategic vision.

The single factor more dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. The Raiders don't know where they are, what they are developing, or who will call the shots in the offseason.

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