Davante Adams was suspended for two month by the head coach
The Raiders made a crucial choice late Tuesday night that will affect the team’s future, even though they were neither buyers nor sellers at the trade deadline.
Owner Mark Davis released a statement announcing the dismissal of general manager David Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels from Las Vegas.
“I have decided to split ways with Josh and Dave after much thinking about what the Raiders need to move ahead,” Davis said in his statement. “I want to express my gratitude for their efforts and send my best wishes to them and their families.”
Later, Antonio Pierce, the linebackers coach, was chosen interim head coach by Las Vegas. Despite only being in his second season as an NFL coach, Pierce is a well-respected figure who was a nine-year veteran of the linebacker position, having spent his time between the Washington and New York Giants. On Sunday, he will make his head coaching debut against the Giants, the team he won a Super Bowl with. Champ Kelly, who is in his second season as the Raiders’ assistant general manager, was also named as the team’s temporary general manager. Kelly was formerly employed by the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos in personnel and scouting capacities.
The Raiders announced Pierce and Kelly’s new positions and emphasized that, following the conclusion of the 2023 season, they will conduct thorough searches for a new general manager and head coach.
According to a report published on Wednesday by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Las Vegas has also decided to fire offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi, who joined the team in 2022 after McDaniels was hired. A source told Rapoport that the Raiders are moving QB coach Bo Hardegree up to offensive coordinator.
After the 2021 season, McDaniels and Ziegler were brought in tandem with the hope of strengthening the Las Vegas team, which was making its first postseason appearance since 2016. Given that Ziegler had worked in New England’s scouting and personnel departments since 2013 and McDaniels had been the Patriots’ offensive coordinator from 2012 to 2021, the two already had a professional relationship.
They were also supposed to bring stability since the Raiders were coming off a turbulent season that saw Jon Gruden’s midseason resignation, despite the success of a postseason berth under their previous interim head coach, Rich Bisaccia.
Rather, the two managed a team that finished 9-16 after 25 games, which included a 3-5 start to the 2023 campaign.
Following Monday Night Football’s 26-14 loss to the Detroit Lions, in which McDaniels’ offense managed just 157 total yards, Davis made his decision. The club has suffered its second consecutive loss, coming off a 30–12 thumping at the hands of the formerly unbeaten Bears.
These were the most recent setbacks in a season where resentment has been building from a variety of directions.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reports that McDaniels gave the players an opportunity to voice their concerns during a meeting on Thursday before the team’s game against the Lions.
Stars like Josh Jacobs, Maxx Crosby, and Dawson Adams all voiced their opinions, according to Pelissero, but the loss that finally resulted in the firing of McDaniels and Ziegler this season did not fuel any flames that may have been kindled during that meeting.
In particular, Adams has proven to be a reliable gauge of the continuing hostilities in Las Vegas.
In McDaniels’ rookie season, the three-time All-Pro was acquired by the Raiders in an off-season trade. He went on to record his second straight season with 1,500+ receiving yards and lead the league in touchdowns scored with 14. He accomplished this by receiving passes from Derek Carr, the quarterback he played for nine seasons with the University of Texas until being benched by head coach Josh McDaniels for the final two games of 2022.
The former 49ers quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, who also has ties to New England from years of supporting Tom Brady, was selected by Ziegler and McDaniels to replace the longtime Raider. However, Garoppolo’s play, like the team’s, has been lackluster thus far, and on Wednesday, the new leadership benched him in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell, according to Rapoport and NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo.
Adams has paid a price for his subpar quarterback performance. He has only 142 yards on 14 catches in the last month of play, and he is currently without a touchdown in five straight games.
Additionally, the offensive as a whole—McDaniels’ forte—ranks 31st in yards and 30th in scoring after placing 12th in both categories in 2022.
All of this points to Davis acting now rather than giving McDaniels and Ziegler more time to turn things around in the final stretch of the season in order to make amends for the Raiders’ future on a Halloween night in Las Vegas.
McDaniels’ second stint as head coach was cut short before it lasted the full two years due to the termination. Before being fired by the Broncos in Week 13 of 2010, he had coached 28 games. He survived for 25 days this time. One and a half seasons into his first season as general manager, Ziegler is fired.
After Davis took over the team in 2011, Pierce became the Raiders’ ninth head coach (their third interim coach in the previous 13 years).
