When the Raiders hit the field on Sunday in London, an old friend will be waiting.
And according to NFL Network’s Deion Sanders, Khalil Mack isn’t viewing this game against the Raiders like any other. He’s out to make a statement.
“[Mack is] going over to play against the Raiders overseas next week. He can’t wait. He’s excited,” Sanders said on NFL Network. “I talked to him earlier and he has circled this game and he’s ecstatic about it. He’s going to make a mark for himself that day. Trust me.”
Mack’s exact words to Sanders were that Sunday is “a game I’ve been looking forward to. I can’t lie. It’s going to be a big one for me.”
By all accounts, Mack never wanted to leave the Raiders. He just wanted to get paid. The Raiders weren’t offering the kind of money he wanted and it led to a holdout that ultimately ended with Mack being shipped across the country. Now Mack isn’t being shy about the fact that he’s treating this as a revenge game of sorts.
For what it’s worth, Mack primarily lined up on the left side of the defensive line in Oakland, but last year he moved around more with the Bears – spending almost equal time on both sides. That means Kolton Miller and Trent Brown should both see a lot of Mack this weekend… and hopefully Derek Carr will not.
twitter: @raidersbeat
puh-lease! the Raiders certainly didn’t want to get rid of Mack, but he NEVER showed-up to Camp, while his agent went to work on hammering out a deal. When Aaron Donald signed his deal, the writing was on the wall; Mark Davis couldn’t/can’t afford to guarantee $90 million, to any player, no matter how good he is. With that bargaining chip, the Raiders had no hope of retaining him, so they did what they HAD to do.
I’m not sure that is what he was saying…. at all.
He’s not that shallow and he’s moved on.
He still likes a lot of the players and he was the one that wanted traded plus the Raiders did him right by letting him go to the Bears… instead of, lets say Miami or extending the hold out or even putting a franchise tag on him.
He didn’t report to the team nor wanted to meet the new head coach, he was fine with leaving – which is the business of the NFL. This isn’t some little grade school whiny butt, snot nosed kid.
He doesn’t hate the Raiders nor is he looking to ‘show up’ his ex-teammates.
But I guess that wouldn’t make as good of a story.
**** the bears and Mack
You should of got what the raiders offer you .you trade yourself and the raiders over your selfishness and money.you could of wait until raiders move to las vegas and get a better salary than what the bears gave you.GO RAIDERS…
Mr Mack you could have played for the Raiders but you held out. You could have waited and played but you refused to play. You are a great player but you are not a whole team.
I am a Raiders fan and the Raiders traded Mack so he could get paid what he deserves because, they could not afford to pay him. The Browns probably have one of the top five defenses in the league and it is going to be as difficult a game as the two they lost already, unless Carr plays with fire in his heart the Raiders are going to lose
Mack can be mad at the Raiders but he also should take some credit for the events that led to his being traded. He was under contract and could have showed up for work. Honoring contracts seem to be a lost art among players in the N.F.L. these days. It was a bonehead thing to trade him, but it was also avoidable if the man would have shown up for work.
Once a Raider always a Raider. I don’t believe he’s out for revenge. Yes we will probably lose but he’s not out for revenge. After the move to vagas I think we will reacquire him when his contract is up.
The whole problem why kaliya Mac was never signed starts back with Reggie Mckenzie. Mackenzie had every opportunity to sign Mac before bonehead Gruden Came on board. Mackenzie chose to sign Seth Roberts to a big contract instead of closing the deal with Mac which was a big mistake Seth Roberts should have been cut after the 2nd year and not given that big huge contract which could have been used to help sign Mack. Mac did Exactly what every generational player should have done, Is true he was under contract but every Big time player wants to get paid his just worth. He Wasn’t the 1st to hold out for more money for his job and certainly won’t be the last. Mac did what was best for his family and I don’t blame him at all. The raiders messed up when they gave Gruden A 100 million dollar contract to bring his sorry a** out of the booth when There is plenty young aspiring Offensive minded young coaches in the NFL that could be head coaches. That’s why they don’t have the money to sign Mac. John Gruden Did the same thing when he got the head coaching job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He destroyed that teen which could easily won at least another Super Bowl and hes gonna destroy the raiders. All the raiders needed was a few more players from Jack Del Rio Team to compete, But Gruden Didn’t want the Del Rio/Mckenzie’s team. So just like Tampa he dismantled and change the team that was just a few players a way just so he could put his name on it instead of coaching what he had that’s what he was supposed.