Tom Brady's Side Role with the Las Vegas Raiders: An Unsettling Scenario

Tom Brady dedicated over two decades to a singular objective: establishing himself as the most accomplished QB in NFL history. He accomplished that goal. Today, in his post-playing career, Brady has ventured into numerous pursuits. He serves as a broadcaster for Fox. He's engaged in development ventures in Birmingham. He has promoted digital assets. He's spreading American football to Saudi Arabia. He maintains a successful YouTube channel. He replicated his family pet. Brady's retirement ventures appear either eclectic or aimless, depending on your perspective.

Side projects are understandable. But managing a professional franchise is hardly a casual commitment. In addition to his various responsibilities, Brady functions as the de facto football leader for the Raiders, presently the most hapless team in the NFL.

The Raiders fell to 2–9 on Sunday after enduring a 24-10 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Raiders didn't just lose; they were humiliated by a struggling team with a QB making his professional debut. The Raiders' offense averaged 2.9 yards per play before garbage-time plays in the final period. Geno Smith was tackled 10 times and faced pressure 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 ineffective for the majority of the season. However you analyze it, it was a thorough domination. Fortunately Brady didn't have to watch. The architect of this latest Vegas mess was working in Dallas on the Fox broadcast for Eagles-Cowboys.

A Collection of Dubious Choices

To be fair to Brady, he has only been involved for a year guiding the team's football decisions, after becoming a minority owner of the organization in 2024. But he was accountable for every major decision last offseason, and all of them has proven unsuccessful. Those decisions have resulted in 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 appoint veteran coach 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 expected to restore the team to competitiveness and then transition them with a stable base in place. Conversely, Carroll is staring at the prospect of being one-and-done in Vegas, and the Raiders are looking at another restart.

Organizational Dysfunction

This is not all Brady's fault, 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 head coach and fifth GM in 15 years, a turnover rate that has eliminated any clear strategic direction. Nevertheless, it's Brady's fingerprints that are evident throughout this version of the Raiders. "This is the Brady's project," league reporter Tom Pelissero commented last summer. "He's been deeply engaged," Carroll said of Brady at his first press conference in January. "This is his opportunity to put his stamp on a franchise."

Brady was responsible for the crucial appointments and set the Raiders on this directionless path. He hired a close associate, his former teammate and colleague in Tampa, to serve as GM. He approved a team strategy to Carroll's preference, including trading a third-round pick for Geno Smith and selecting a running back with the sixth pick despite having a bottom-tier O-line. He recruited an offensive innovator away from the college ranks, making him the highest-paid OC in the NFL. And he approved handing a flaky blocking unit – the foundation for that coordinator and ball carrier – to the coach's family member.

Catastrophic Outcomes

It's been a complete failure. Last season's Raiders were a team with limited success, but they were scrappy and resilient. The current Raiders are a disorganized situation. Carroll has installed an outdated defensive philosophy, the quarterback looks washed and the Raiders' offensive line has undermined any aspirations 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 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. Their star defender, now just five sacks away from the league all-time mark, leads a formidable defense. And there is positive outlook around the stellar-looking rookie class that includes two potential stars – Quinshon Judkins at RB and Carson Schwesinger 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' defensive unit, but Sanders demonstrated that the NFL level was not overwhelming for him. With a full week to get ready, he was solid, taking what the defense gave him and displaying glimpses of creativity. Sanders became the first Cleveland rookie QB to win his debut game since 1995.

Lack of Direction

Sanders and the rest of the Browns' rookie class represent future potential. That's a mirror the Raiders should avoid. Good organizations understand their situation in the ecosystem: you're either a championship candidate, a competitive squad, or undergoing reconstruction. Vegas entered 2025 thinking they were a couple of moves away from respectability. Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they haven't pivoted during the season. Like Cleveland, Vegas should be playing rookies to find out what they have for the future. But only two rookies have seen significant action. There has apparently already been tension between the coaching staff and the management regarding the lack of action for two young blockers, despite the offensive 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 experienced veterans on the defensive side over rookies in need of reps.

Uncertain Future

What is the path forward? Will the coach return or Spytek or the quarterback? And who truly decides those choices, Brady or Davis? How can a franchise operate when its most powerful decision-maker logs in occasionally, signs off franchise-altering moves, and then vanishes on other projects?

It will prove a struggle for the Raiders to improve – and they are in a conference filled with consistently successful teams. Meanwhile, other rebuilders have clear trajectories. The New York Jets are stocked with future draft picks. The Tennessee and New York have talented young QBs. The Raiders have little to build upon. No foundation. No quarterback. No distinctive style. No plan.

The only thing more dangerous 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 make decisions in the offseason.

Tom Brady once excelled at football through intense dedication. The Raiders could benefit from more than an hour of it.