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

Tom Brady committed over two decades to a singular objective: becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He accomplished that goal. Now, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into various pursuits. He serves as a commentator for Fox. He's engaged in construction projects in Birmingham. He has promoted cryptocurrency. He's spreading the NFL to the Middle East. He operates a popular YouTube channel. He replicated his dog. Brady's retirement ventures appear either eclectic or unfocused, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are understandable. But overseeing a NFL team is not a casual commitment. Alongside his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the unofficial football leader for the Raiders, currently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders dropped 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 professional debut. The Raiders' offensive unit averaged 2.9 yards per play before meaningless plays in the final period. Geno Smith was tackled 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 offense that has been ineffective 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 primary decision-maker of this current situation was working in Dallas on the network coverage for another game.

A Collection of Questionable Decisions

To be fair to Brady, he has only spent one season leading the team's football decisions, becoming a minority owner of the franchise in 2024. But he was responsible for every significant move last summer, and all of them has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have left the Raiders as the most unwatchable and directionless team 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 Super Bowl and a college national championship, to manage a protracted process back up the league table. He was supposed to restore the team to competitiveness and then transition them with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is facing the possibility of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another reboot.

Organizational Turmoil

This isn't entirely Brady's responsibility, naturally. The majority owner is still the controlling stakeholder. Davis has churned through coaches and front-office heads at a speed that would make even the New York Jets feel embarrassed. The Raiders are on their seventh coach and fifth general manager in 15 years, a instability that has eliminated any coherent long-term vision. Nevertheless, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this iteration of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter a prominent journalist commented last summer. "He's been integrally involved," Carroll stated of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to leave his mark on a team."

Brady was responsible for the key hires and set the Raiders on this rudderless course. He appointed John Spytek, his college buddy and colleague in Tampa, to serve as general manager. He approved a roster plan to Carroll's preference, including dealing a third-round pick for Smith and drafting a RB No 6 overall despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He recruited an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the top-earning OC in the league. And he approved entrusting a flaky blocking unit – the bedrock for that coach and ball carrier – to Carroll's son.

Disastrous Outcomes

It has become a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were competitive and resilient. This year's Raiders are a confused mess. Carroll has implemented an old-fashioned defensive scheme, Smith looks past his prime and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any hopes for their rookie and the run game. If nothing else, Carroll was expected to bring energy. But the Raiders were uninspired on Sunday, waiting for the snaps to the end of the game.

The contrast with Cleveland was stark. Things are always bleak with the Browns, but there are glimmers of optimism. Myles Garrett, now just five sacks away from the NFL single-season record, leads a formidable defense. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking first-year players that includes two potential stars – a dynamic runner at running back and Carson Schwesinger at LB. There is also Shedeur Sanders, who may not be the permanent solution at quarterback, but who is a viable option in the short-term.

Granted, it was against the Raiders' defensive unit, but Sanders showed that the stage was not too big for him. With a complete preparation period to prepare, he was effective, accepting what the defense gave him and showing glimpses of improvisation. Sanders became the first Browns rookie quarterback to win his first start since 1995.

Absence of Direction

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' first-year players represent future potential. That's a reflection the Raiders don't want to look into. Good organizations recognize their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a contender, a frisky playoff team, or rebuilding. Vegas began the season thinking 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 coming years. But only two first-year players have seen significant action. There has apparently already been disagreement between the coaching staff and the management regarding the limited playing time for two young blockers, despite the o-line being a weak point. Rookie receivers two young talents have combined for nine receptions in 11 games, despite the lack of spark in the passing game. Carroll continues to roll out grizzled vets on the defensive side over rookies in need of reps.

Uncertain Direction

Where is the future direction? Will Carroll be back or the GM or Smith? And who truly decides those decisions, Brady or Davis? How can a team function when its primary influencer logs in occasionally, 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 division filled with perennial playoff contenders. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The Jets are stocked with upcoming selections. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No franchise QB. No identity. No strategic vision.

The only thing more dangerous than being bad in the NFL is not recognizing you're bad. The Raiders don't know 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.