The Chip Kelly era in Las Vegas didn’t just fizzle out-it imploded. And now, with the Raiders sitting at 2-10 and spiraling toward another lost season, the spotlight is shifting to someone who’s not even on the field: Tom Brady.
Brady, now a minority owner in the franchise, was reportedly a major force behind bringing in Kelly to run the offense. The idea?
Inject some of that championship DNA into a team that’s been searching for direction since, well, just about forever. But what was billed as a bold new chapter is already being rewritten.
Kelly’s out, Greg Olson is calling plays again, and frustration is boiling over inside the locker room.
One current Raider summed it up bluntly: “I really don’t know what the plan is. I don’t think anyone knows.” That’s a tough quote to hear from inside the building, especially when the team’s record is doing the talking-loud and clear.
This wasn’t just about Kelly. The vision, according to reports, was that Brady’s presence would be a magnet for top-tier coaching talent-names like Ben Johnson or Mike Vrabel.
Instead, the Raiders ended up with Pete Carroll, who at 74 brought his sons Nate and Brennan along to help steer the offense. That’s not exactly the power play many expected when Brady came on board.
There were also whispers of big-name quarterback targets. Matthew Stafford was reportedly on the radar, but that never materialized.
Sam Darnold was floated as an option, but Brady reportedly shut that down. Instead, he pushed hard for Kelly, who became the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the league.
Less than a season later, he’s gone.
Inside the building, the patience is wearing thin. One staffer reportedly said it’s “hard to argue” with Brady’s influence, but the results speak for themselves.
Since Mark Davis took over in 2011, the Raiders have had seven full-time head coaches-tied for the most in the NFL over that stretch. They haven’t won a playoff game in that time, and their point differential is the worst in the league.
That’s not just instability-that’s dysfunction.
Still, there are a few bright spots. Maxx Crosby continues to be a force off the edge, playing through a knee injury and still filling up the stat sheet.
Tackles, sacks, hits, pass breakups-Crosby does it all. He’s expected to suit up against the Broncos in Week 14, and his presence remains one of the few things opponents have to game-plan around.
But beyond Crosby, the Raiders are a team in search of an identity. The offense has no rhythm, the coaching carousel keeps spinning, and the big-picture plan-if there is one-isn’t exactly clear to the people living it day to day.
Brady came to Las Vegas with the promise of building something lasting. Right now, it looks like another reset is already underway. And until the Raiders can string together wins and show some sort of direction, the questions about what Brady’s really building in Vegas will only get louder.