Remember the 2025 NFL conspiracy theory? Supposedly, Tom Brady assisted the Las Vegas Raiders, a team he recently bought a small stake in, in committing fraud by sharing secret broadcast meeting details with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and the coaching staff. Yes, that Chip Kelly. The one who, back in November, called a play that wasn’t even introduced yet, just a month before head coach Pete Carroll was let go, not even a year later.
It sounds wild, right? Apart from being largely far-fetched, this conspiracy seemingly coincided with one of the worst seasons in recent NFL history. The Raiders secured a couple of meaningless wins against the Patriots and Chiefs but ended up with just a single win against the Titans. This disaster landed them the No. 1 overall pick, marking yet another franchise reset in just three years.
Honestly, it’s hard to fathom how things could get any worse. Mark Davis, the owner, seems unsatisfied with just losing season after losing season. He’s managed to hire and fire numerous coaches during the past six years, which will inevitably cost the team until it finds a new head coach amidst all this chaos. The irony? Five people have been hired without really making any significant changes. Geno Smith is set to earn a hefty $66 million despite not achieving anything substantial for the team, and it’s not like they’ve had much success since the end of the Derek Carr era, which, by the way, ended with a disappointing 0-2 playoff record in 2022.
The Raiders have pretty much established a culture of incompetence and impatience. It’s almost unbelievable to consider what sort of drama, possibly involving Tom Brady, it would take to lift this franchise out of its predicament.
When we talk about the most unfortunate franchise over the last 15 years, the title undoubtedly goes to the New York Jets. They have faced a playoff drought nearly twice as long as their closest competitor, last qualifying for the postseason in 2010. The Jets’ struggles have often been intertwined with adversity and misfortunes, even as they attempted to rebuild with talents like Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Sauce Gardner, and Quinnen Williams. Yet, the disappointing selection of Zach Wilson as the No. 2 pick in the draft is a tough pill to swallow. Now, with Aaron Rodgers’ early injury, the Jets are on track to start their 98th rebuild in just 15 years. It’s rather cruel.
But unlike the Jets, the Raiders aren’t especially hindered by bad luck or misguided draft choices. They haven’t drafted a quarterback in the first three rounds since 2014, preferring to bring in seasoned veterans like Jimmy Garoppolo and Geno Smith, hoping for a surprising turnaround reminiscent of Brady’s success in Tampa.
And the roster isn’t all bad; in fact, it boasts talented players at nearly every position except for the offensive line. Maxx Crosby is arguably among the top defensive players in the league, while Brock Bowers could be considered one of the most dynamic tight ends when healthy. Ashton Giunty, a highly-touted running back, showed promise in his debut year, and Jacobi Meyers, who was traded to Jacksonville, unexpectedly became the leading receiver on a 13-win team.
The type of failure the Raiders are putting forth is particularly sad. It’s not just a simple setback. This situation, driven by impatience within the organization, stretches over five full seasons, making it less about a “win now” mentality and more chaotic. Davis showed little tolerance for any losing seasons, quickly firing coaches like Josh McDaniels, Antonio Pierce, and now Pete Carroll after effectively just a single season.
Sure, maybe those coaches were part of the issue. But if you’ve been drifting away for three years after a third unsuccessful attempt, and now you’re shelling out hundreds of millions in senseless expenses, it might be time for some self-reflection. The Raiders seem to lack a cohesive organizational philosophy. The “win or lose” stance is imposed on both coaches and quarterbacks without allowing for any real growth.
McDaniels and Garoppolo, Pierce and O’Connell, Carroll and Smith—none of these pairs brought the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory. While Davis might have been insightful in feeling that Carroll could be past his peak and that Smith has perhaps hit his limit, reality suggests hasty hiring processes were problematic from the start.
A variety of things can sink a ship: careless talk, icebergs, unrestricted warfare—but making rash commitments of millions to individuals clearly unfit for the role is what truly sunk this franchise. The only silver lining for the Raiders this year is their innovative approach to tanking—utilizing injuries, quarterback changes, and mid-season coaching dismissals to ensure they didn’t secure any undeserved overtime victories. With the first pick in the draft looming, it seems likely that Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza will be chosen as their new franchise quarterback. However, all this organizational chaos could doom his career before it even gets started. They really need to get a grip—if not, they risk becoming the new punchline of the league, rivaling the Jets.
