Raiders fire coach Josh McDaniels, GM David Ziegler
Las Vegas, NV – In a surprising move, the Las Vegas Raiders have announced the firing of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler. The decision comes after the Raiders’ disappointing 26-14 loss to the Detroit Lions on “Monday Night Football” and a lackluster 3-5 record this season.
Team owner Mark Davis released a statement, saying, “After much thought about what the Raiders need to move forward, I have decided to part ways with Josh and Dave. I want to thank them both for their hard work and wish them and their families nothing but the best.”
As the team looks to regroup, sources have revealed that linebackers coach Antonio Pierce will serve as the interim head coach, while assistant general manager Champ Kelly will take on the interim role following Ziegler’s departure.
McDaniels, who was in his second season leading the Raiders, signed a six-year contract in January 2022. However, his tenure with the team has been underwhelming, as he leaves with a record of 9-16 and no playoff appearances. His win-loss record ranks as the third-worst among Raiders coaches who have coached at least 25 games.
The decision to hire McDaniels came after the 2021 season when Davis chose not to retain interim coach Rich Bisaccia, despite his unexpected success in leading the team to a playoff run.
During their tenure, McDaniels and Ziegler made bold moves in the offseason, such as trading draft picks for Davante Adams, signing defensive end Chandler Jones to a lucrative free agent contract, and extending the contracts of key players like Derek Carr, Maxx Crosby, Darren Waller, and Hunter Renfrow. However, these moves failed to translate into on-field success for the team.
The Raiders notably struggled to hold on to double-digit leads, losing a record-tying five games in that scenario. Their most significant collapse came in McDaniels’ home debut against the Arizona Cardinals, blowing a 20-0 halftime lead for the biggest collapse in franchise history.
Additionally, McDaniels drew criticism for benching Carr late last season and eventually cutting him in the offseason, resulting in no return on a starting quarterback who later received a $150 million contract from the New Orleans Saints.
McDaniels brought in his former New England Patriots pupil, Jimmy Garoppolo, as the new starting quarterback. However, the offense severely regressed, becoming the first team since 2009 to score less than 20 points in each of the first eight games of the season.
The final two weeks demonstrated the team’s struggles, as they suffered a humiliating 30-12 loss to the Chicago Bears and undrafted rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent from Division II and followed it with a disappointing performance in Monday night’s loss to the Lions.
The Raiders will now enter a new chapter under interim leadership as they search for a long-term solution to turn their fortunes around.
Note: Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.