Brady's Part-Time Role with the Raiders: A Chaotic Scenario

Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a unwavering mission: becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He achieved that goal. Today, in retirement, Brady has explored various pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for Fox. He's engaged in construction projects in Birmingham. He has promoted digital assets. He's expanding the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's retirement activities appear either eclectic or aimless, based on your perspective.

Secondary ventures are one thing. But overseeing a professional franchise is not a part-time job. Alongside his other roles, Brady functions as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, presently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders dropped to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a 24-10 defeat 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 2.9 yards per play before meaningless plays in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times and was pressured 46 times, a season record for any team this year. On the defensive side, Las Vegas surrendered big plays to a Cleveland offensive unit that has been dysfunctional for most of the campaign. Any way you slice 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 network coverage for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Questionable Decisions

In fairness to Brady, he has only spent one season guiding the team's personnel choices, after becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was accountable for every significant move last summer, and all of them has proven unsuccessful. Those moves have resulted in the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't supposed to be a multi-year rebuild. The Raiders didn't hire 74-year-old 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 transition them with a solid foundation in place. Instead, Carroll is facing the prospect of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Franchise Dysfunction

This is not all Brady's fault, of course. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has cycled through head coaches and executives at a speed that would make even the New York Jets blush. The Raiders are on their seventh head 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 all over this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider a prominent journalist commented last offseason. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll said of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to put his stamp on a team."

Brady was responsible for the key hires and set the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed a close associate, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to serve as GM. He approved a roster plan to the coach's specifications, including trading a third-round pick for Geno Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning offensive coordinator in the league. And he approved handing a unreliable blocking unit – the bedrock for that coach and ball carrier – to Carroll's son.

Disastrous Outcomes

It's been a disaster. The previous year's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and resilient. This year's Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive philosophy, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' blocking unit has submarined any hopes for Ashton Jeanty and the run game. At the very least, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, counting down the plays to the conclusion of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was pronounced. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the NFL all-time mark, leads a formidable defense. And there is optimism around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at RB and Carson Schwesinger at linebacker. There is also the rookie QB, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is An Answer in the short-term.

Granted, it was against the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a complete preparation period to get ready, he was effective, accepting what the opposition gave him and showing glimpses of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his debut game since 1995.

Absence of Direction

The rookie quarterback and his classmates of the Browns' rookie class represent future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders don't want to look into. Successful franchises recognize their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a couple of moves away from respectability. Despite the clear indications to the contrary, 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 future. But only two first-year players have seen real playing time. There has apparently already been tension between the coaching staff and the front office regarding the lack of action for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the o-line being a weak point. Rookie receivers Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr have combined for nine catches in eleven contests, despite the lack of spark in the aerial attack. Carroll continues to utilize experienced veterans on defense over young players in need of reps.

Uncertain Future

What is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or the GM or Smith? And who actually makes those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise function when its primary influencer participates sporadically, approves major organizational decisions, and then disappears on other projects?

It's going to be a challenge for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference filled with consistently successful teams. At the same time, other rebuilders have paths. The New York Jets are loaded with future draft picks. The Titans and Giants have talented young QBs. The Raiders have nothing. No foundation. No quarterback. No distinctive style. No strategic vision.

The single factor more dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not recognizing you're underperforming. 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 intense dedication. The Raiders could benefit from more than limited attention of it.