The Las Vegas Raiders are done with Josh McDaniels and David Ziegler.
The Raiders announced late on Tuesday night that they had parted ways with the head coach and general manager after the franchise started the season just 3-5. The announcement came just one day after the Raiders fell to the Detroit Lions 26-14.
“After much thought about what the Raiders need to move forward, I have decided to part ways with Josh and Dave,” owner Mark Davis said in a statement. “I want to thank them both for their hard work and wish them and their families nothing but the best.”
The Raiders are the first team in the league to fire their head coach this season. Linebackers coach Antonio Pierce is expected to be named the team’s interim coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Pierce, who resigned as an assistant at Arizona State amid an NCAA investigation, will lead the Raiders starting on Sunday against the New York Giants. It’s unclear when Davis will conduct a true coaching search, or who he might bring in.
McDaniels was in the middle of his second season leading the Raiders, though he went just 9-16 in Las Vegas. The Raiders hired him after a 10-year run as the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator, where he won three Super Bowls alongside Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. The Raiders were his second stint in the league as a head coach, following a two-year run with the Denver Broncos in 2009 and 2010. He was fired in the middle of his second season with the Broncos, too.
The Raiders gave McDaniels a six-year deal when they hired him. He had over four years left on his contract.
The Raiders also hired Ziegler when they brought McDaniels. Ziegler worked in the Patriots front office for much of McDaniels’ time there, and was promoted to their director of player personnel before landing the job in Las Vegas. The two also worked together in Denver, and were teammates in college at John Carroll University.
The Raiders have gone just 3-5 this season, and have lost five of their last seven games. The Raiders managed just 157 yards of offense in their loss to the Lions on Monday night while allowing Detroit to rack up just shy of 500. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo — who was hurt and missed last week’s loss to the Chicago Bears — didn’t complete a pass to a wide receiver in the first half, and both star wide receiver Davante Adams and All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs were left extremely frustrated in Detroit.
Those offensive issues have been an issue all season. The Raiders are averaging just 268.3 yards per game, which is better than only the Giants, and only 15.8 points per contest, which is better than only the Giants and Patriots.
So hours after the trade deadline passed and with the midpoint of the season looming, Davis opted to call it and make a change.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
