Josh McDaniels’ firing continues Raiders’ crazy revolving door at head coach since ’02

Josh McDaniels was the first coach fired in the 2023 NFL season, and given the Raiders’ recent history, maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise.

Late on Halloween night, the Raiders relieved McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler of their duties. Assistant general manager Champ Kelly was named interim GM and linebackers coach Antonio Pierce will be interim coach.

“The Las Vegas Raiders are committed to undergo a comprehensive search for a head coach once the season is complete,” the team said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).

The Raiders, who have a 3-5 record, said the same thing about hiring a new general manager.

In just over two years’ time, Las Vegas has gone through eight coaches or executives as CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones noted.

That’s nothing compared to the number of coaches the Raiders have churned through since the start of the 2002 season. Jon Gruden was traded to the Buccaneers before that season, and the Raiders have made the postseason just three times since.

Chiefs fan Dean Bryant noted on X that the Raiders have had 13 head coaches since 2002. That number includes interim coaches.

Of the last seven Raiders coaches, just two have had a winning record, per the Associated Press’ Josh Dubow.

• Hue Jackson 8-8

• Dennis Allen 8-28

• Tony Sparano 3-9 (interim)

• Jack Del Rio 25-23

• Jon Gruden 22-31

• Rich Bisaccia 7-5 (interim)

• Josh McDaniels 9-16

Money owed

The Raiders will be paying McDaniels a handsome sum of money, even though he’s no longer with the team.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that McDaniels received a six-year contract in January 2022. CBS Sports said the Raiders gave McDaniels a deal worth roughly $60 million.

That means McDaniels will receive a big chunk of that money over the next four-plus seasons, unless the Raiders write him a really big check.

Some reports said the Raiders also are still paying Gruden, who returned for a second stint with the team in 2018. But that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Gruden resigned from the Raiders on Oct. 11, 2021 after it came to light that his email showed he “used misogynistic and anti-gay language” per ESPN.

At the time, Gruden had six years remaining on a 10-year, $100 million contract he had signed with the Raiders.

KLAS-TV reported that legal documents in Gruden’s lawsuit against the NFL show he had received $60 million of his $100 million deal “at the time of his resignation, lawyers for the NFL said. The NFL also said Gruden settled with the Raiders ‘for an additional undisclosed sum.’”

The TV station said Gruden “is not being paid the remaining balance on the contract, which runs through 2027.”