Raiders sack Josh McDaniels: Why has the NFL club become a burial ground for coaches in recent times

Las Vegas Raiders, a leading team in the National Football League (NFL), fired their coach Josh McDaniels along with the General Manager (GM) Dave Ziegler as per an announcement made by the team on Tuesday.

This decision by the Raiders came just a day after the team lost 26-14 to their fellow NFL team, Detroit Lions during the revered “Monday Night Football,” matchday. This was the Raiders’ second loss in a row where their attack looked average at best and couldn’t make an impact against the opponent.

Various experts have said that Raiders have become a burial ground for coaches in recent times. McDaniels after being fired joins a long line of coaches like Tom Cable, Lane Kiffin, Dennis Allen and Hue Jackson who found it difficult to occupy the hot seat at the NFL club.


Reports state that the coach’s job at the Raiders is “cursed” because the seat never goes to the best coaches in the game as that is not how the team functions when hiring a candidate. Raiders have been known to select coaches who are not up to high standards and those are not known to make the tough calls when required at the top level of American football.

McDaniels reportedly is another example of one such signing. He held a 11-17 record in his previous club as the head coach of the Denver Broncos, where he was fired as well. Regardless of such a record McDaniels still got the call for the job at Raiders.

On top of this, the lack of proper management at the Raiders has been well documented as they didn’t extend the contract of their All-Pro homegrown defensive player Khalil Mack and also traded him to the Chicago Bears. Additionally, their homegrown All-Pro offensive player Josh Jacobs also decided to not extend his contract with the team.

Reports state that there might be multiple issues at the Raiders, a combination of coaches failing to develop good players and the higher office failing to provide the appointed coaches with the best players in order to compete.

After sacking McDaniels and Ziegler, the Raiders have appointed the linebackers coach Antonio Pierce as the head coach for an interim period. They have also appointed the present assistant general manager, Champ Kelly as interim General Manager.

As per reports, Pierce and Kelly will take the team forward this season and the Raiders will be conducting a thorough search for a new head coach and general manager after the season ends.

FAQs:

Q1. Who are the Las Vegas Raiders?
Ans1. Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team from the Las Vegas metropolitan area.

Q2. Who is Josh McDaniels?
Ans2. Joshua Thomas McDaniels is a professional American football coach who most recently coached the NFL team, Las Vegas Raiders.