The Raiders are entering a pivotal offseason in the weeks ahead and fortunately there is good stability at the top of the organization… unless maybe things aren’t quite as perfect as they seem.
According to one of the Raiders most plugged in beat writers, general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden might not be in perfect harmony with one another after the ordeal with Antonio Brown a few months back.
“I think [Mayock] and Gruden get along OK,” The Athletic’s Vic Tafur said on the State of the Nation podcast this week. “I think [the Antonio Brown situation] definitely changed some things. I’m still not 100% positive [Mayock is] back next year. He probably is. All things point that direction. But would I be shocked if he goes back to NFL Network… I would not be shocked.”
Asked about his thoughts again in another column, Tafur elaborated a little more.
“I said I wouldn’t be shocked, which is kind of a notch above surprised,” Tafur said. “They seem to be getting along fine, but the Antonio Brown incident definitely left a mark. Mayock has turned down many interview requests since then, even when the team was 6-4. And there was no postseason talk like most teams have. I don’t know if this job is as great as he envisioned it being, even with the draft success. That’s my read.”
Whether the head coach and GM are doing fine or not, it’s noteworthy that there was apparently a strained period of time between Gruden and Mayock during the Brown saga. Maybe Mayock didn’t want to travel the AB road in the first place or maybe it was the racial slurs that put him over the edge. Gruden, as it has been well documented, has final authority on football decisions so that’s a dynamic that probably isn’t always easy to navigate.
Whatever the case, hopefully the HC and GM can figure things out moving forward. Las Vegas certainly doesn’t mind paying to see drama, but they won’t be interested in watching it in their new multi-billion dollar football stadium.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Their fine this is bullshit drama
Raiders cant lose Mayock. He made the best draft the Raiders have had in 20 years. Big mistake is Raiders lose him.
Oh why does everything in life has to be with money and coach’s g m and people and players and ps ps theres a lot of talent people in this world and especially in the u s a ps ps this stuff news ot anything else starts **** **** up up ps thanks god bless you and god bless the u s a and our leaders and men women who serve our country and the vertans and family ps thanks
I did
I think the raiders should fire the head coach and get a new qb Carr is not the answer and Gruden is not a has been hes a never been the guy is a loser period. so mark you idiot look around and find a new coach and qb.And if you can’t do that then mybe you need to give the team to a real winner
The Raiders are not commenting on several pending moves yet , because they are evaluating , personnel , free agency , the draft and coordinating the Las Vegas Move ! I think Gruden and Mayock are fine and are looking the question of keeping Carr or Trading him and building some more depth at the position .
After the Super Bowl and the dust settles
we will see more activity as players are released and contracts expire and who is available .. the Raiders are not going to show their hand yet , even to Carr ..
The real question is do the Raiders want to pay another 20 mil to a game manager instead of a championship qb , who can step lead and make things happen ? The other question is do they draft a qb and pay Carr for another year ?
A sign of a great Qb is raising the level of others around him and leading by example , by demonstrating the will to win ! Which Carr doesn’t do , he quits and folds in pressure or throws the ball away , doesn’t step up in the pocket slide , get out run and create or improvise when a play breaks down! Where you see a Mahomes, Minchew , Josh Allen , Watson, .. we need a more mobile qb who wants to win and show that he does and not just says it in a losing weekly post presser !