In a span of 48 hours, the Raiders fired head coach Antonio Pierce and GM Tom Telesco, and the team is now headed for a complete overhaul of the decision-makers in the building.
The decision to fire Pierce wasn’t a huge surprise, but many believed Telesco would get another year. More than anything, it was the timing of the two decisions that didn’t necessarily make sense.
At different points in the week, Pierce and Telesco both believed they were going to be retained, and it’s fair to wonder what the team’s thought process has been over the last few days.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter offered his opinion on Thursday and he believes the Raiders are gearing up to accommodate one or more of the coaching candidates on their list.
”They did not feel that Tom Telesco would be somebody as appealing to some of the head coaching candidates that they are speaking with,” Schefter said. “They are speaking with Ben Johnson in the coming days here… and we’ll see what transpires.”
Schefter didn’t weigh in on the Raiders chances of getting Johnson, but they probably didn’t unload Telesco for just any coach on their list.
Looking back to a report from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, it seems the Raiders might be able to offer Johnson everything he is looking for.
“He has two criteria for looking at opportunities. Number one, he’ll want a team that’ll create alignment between the head coach and general manager. Number two, he’ll want to work for an owner who is willing to honestly identify his/her team’s weaknesses and address them aggressively,” Breer said about Johnson last month.
“With that as the backdrop, as I hear it, Johnson will only interview this year for jobs he can really envision himself taking,” Breer continued. “He won’t interview just to interview. And in the interview, rather than trying to assess an organization’s situation, or win the job, he’ll be selling his vision of what he believes it’ll take to win—so if an owner hires him, it’ll happen with buy-in into how he plans to build his own program.”
The other high profile candidate to keep an eye on for the Raiders is Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel left his interview with the Patriots on Thursday without a deal and the Raiders are still believed to be in the mix. In Vrabel’s case, the expectation has always been that he will be particular about the GM he works with.
If it’s Johnson or Vrabel the Raiders are hoping to hire, the team has definitely taken the steps both coaches would most likely require to agree to the job.
In other words, don’t rule out the Raiders for one of the big fish just yet…
x: @raidersbeat
Vrabel doesn’t deserve crap. This whole organization is so flipping dumb. If you’re gonna fire the GM cuz of the head coach, make him SIGN on the dotted line first
This organization has been jacked up for 22 years. A waste of players, coaches, and general managers. They not going to never get it right.
Well let’s see if we can get it right this time around I’m definitely tired of the constant turnover & we will not be able to attract players that will be serious about winning & this organization without over paying them hopefully TB12 can do what MD couldn’t get a GM & an HC who’s soul purpose is dedicated to WINNING CHAMP KELLY is still in the building & i like what he was doing b4 MD brought in Tommy Telesco
Agree! I like having Champ being there.
Mark Davis is the problem and you can not fix stupid, fire Mark Davis. I was down with my team up until now and this was my 5th decade in the RN. As long as the decisions were logical, and there was common sense and sane moves, I went down with the ship year after bad year. No more, for under Mark Davis nothing is: sane, logical or makes a dam* bit of sense. BOYCOTT THIS DISASTER UNTIL MARK DAVIS SELLS! This is no longer the RAIDERS, it is just MARK DAVIS’ team, and only he could have fuc*ed up what was handed to him on a golden platter.
I give Mark credit for two things, 1. He’s trying different ways to get it right and 2. If it’s not working, he cuts bait and tries again. Coaching pay doesn’t affect the salary cap, that’s out his pocket.
So far Mark Davis has shown a complete unwillingness to accept the Raiders as they actually are. It’s why despite years of losing, there has only been like 2 or 3 years where the team was in an acknowledged rebuilding process. Even going into this past season, the expectation was they’d compete for a playoff spot.
If Ben Johnson comes in for an interview, says the team sucks, and is going to require a serious re-calibration, I suspect Mark Davis won’t be accepting of that.
Why would I want to hire a coach who couldn’t be successful with the Tennessee Titans.
Who obviously had a better team than the Raiders.
We don’t need Vrabel. The other thing that puzzles me is why do you fire a GM that arguably had the best draft the raiders had in 20 years.
Bring back Mike Nayock, he knew how to evaluate talent
What? Vrabel was fired with more wins than loses with the Titans. Mike Mayock and Gruden were a laughing stock. None of their draft picks are still with the Raiders. So please get your facts right.
Mark Davis is the problem. Numerous players that were signed by the Raiders have stated that they never played in a more dysfunctional organization. If we ever expect the Raiders to be in another Super Bowl, Mark must sell the team to a owner who believes in winning at all cost.
The Haircut is an imbecile.
If the League had any integrity(which they don’t)the other Owners would Force Davis to Sell.