Brady's Part-Time Involvement with the Las Vegas Raiders: An Unsettling Scenario

Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a unwavering mission: becoming the most accomplished QB in NFL history. He accomplished that dream. Now, in retirement, Brady has ventured into numerous pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for a major network. He's engaged in development ventures in Birmingham. He has endorsed cryptocurrency. He's spreading the NFL to Saudi Arabia. He operates a successful YouTube channel. He even cloned his dog. Brady's post-career ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, based on your viewpoint.

Side projects are one thing. But overseeing a NFL team is not a part-time job. In addition to his other roles, Brady also serves as the unofficial decision-maker for the Las Vegas franchise, currently the most hapless team in the league.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on this past weekend after suffering a 24-10 defeat to the Browns. The Raiders didn't just get defeated; they were humiliated by a underperforming team with a QB making his first NFL start. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless plays in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith was sacked 10 times and faced pressure 46 times, a season record for any franchise this year. 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 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 another game.

A Collection of Questionable Choices

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year leading the team's football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every major decision last offseason, and each one has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have left the Raiders as the least entertaining and directionless franchise in the NFL.

This wasn't supposed to be a lengthy reconstruction. 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 manage a protracted process back up the league table. He was supposed to return the team to relevance and then transition them with a solid foundation in place. Conversely, Carroll is staring at the possibility of being fired after one season in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Organizational Dysfunction

This is not all Brady's fault, naturally. Mark Davis is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through head coaches and executives at a rate 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 fingerprints that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Tom Brady show," NFL Insider a prominent journalist said last offseason. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his introductory news conference in January. "This is his chance to leave his mark on a team."

Brady made 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 approved a team strategy to the coach's specifications, including dealing a draft selection for Geno Smith and drafting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier offensive line. He lured an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the highest-paid OC in the league. And he approved entrusting a unreliable blocking unit – the bedrock for that coordinator and running back – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It has become a disaster. Last season's Raiders were a four-win team, but they were scrappy and competitive. The current Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has implemented an outdated defensive scheme, Smith looks washed and the Raiders' blocking unit has submarined any aspirations for their rookie and the ground attack. If nothing else, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the conclusion of the game.

The difference with Cleveland was pronounced. The situation often seems dire with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the NFL all-time mark, leads a dominant defensive unit. And there is optimism around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes multiple promising talents – Quinshon Judkins at RB and Carson Schwesinger at linebacker. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

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

Absence of Vision

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class represent future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations recognize their position in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas began the season believing they were a couple of moves away from respectability. In spite of the clear indications 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 reportedly already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the management regarding the limited playing time for two rookie offensive linemen, despite the offensive line being a weak point. Rookie receivers two young talents have combined for nine catches in 11 games, despite the ineffectiveness in the passing game. Carroll continues to utilize grizzled vets on defense over young players in need of reps.

Unclear 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 team operate when its primary influencer participates sporadically, approves major organizational decisions, and then vanishes on side quests?

It will prove a challenge for the Raiders to get better – and they are in a conference filled with perennial playoff contenders. At the same time, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are loaded 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 only thing more problematic than being bad in the NFL is not knowing you're underperforming. The Raiders lack clarity on where they are, what they are developing, or who will call the shots in the summer.

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