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Josh McDaniels got the pink slip after the Las Vegas Raiders lost their fifth game in eight matches to start the 2023 NFL season. He ends his coaching stint with the AFC West squad at 9-16. Aside from him, Dave Ziegler was also fired as Raiders general manager.
McDaniels’ tenure with Las Vegas lasted only 25 games, three games less than his head coaching job with the Denver Broncos from 2009 to 2010. Both chapters had the same ending, with McDaniels getting the boot before finishing his second season.
Raiders owner Mark Davis will initiate looking for the next coach and general manager for a franchise with a storied tradition. Therefore, here are the five mentors who could fit well as the team’s leading tactician.
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There’s an incentive for the coach who will land the role Josh McDaniels once filled. On defense, they can build around defensive end Maxx Crosby, who signed a four-year, $98 million contract extension in the 2022 offseason.
On offense, they have All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs, last year’s rushing yards king. There’s also All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, who signed a five-year, $141.25 million contract extension after getting traded by the Green Bay Packers.
Getting the Xs and Os right can propel these coaches to success with the Raiders.
1) Antonio Pierce
The Raiders plan to name him interim head coach after Josh McDaniels. If his name rings a bell, he’s part of the New York Giants squad that won Super Bowl XLII over the New England Patriots. That win thwarted Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s hopes of completing the NFL’s second perfect season.
After retiring from the game in 2009, Pierce became the head coach of the Long Beach Poly High School football team. He worked there for four seasons before joining Arizona State as linebackers coach. Pierce also worked with the Sun Devils for four seasons before becoming the Raiders’ linebackers coach in 2022.
The Raiders might as well remove his interim tag if he does well for their remaining games in 2023. They can still push for a playoff spot with nine regular-season games left.
2) Ben Johnson
Josh McDaniels got fired after the Raiders suffered a Week 8 loss to the Detroit Lions. In that game, the Lions had 222 rushing and 272 receiving yards. Credit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for a masterful game plan against Las Vegas.
More importantly, Johnson’s offense has helped the Lions establish a 6-2 record after eight weeks. An offensive-minded head coach like Johnson could turn things around for a squad featuring Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs, Jakobi Meyers, and Hunter Renfrow.
3) Jerod Mayo
Jerod Mayo and Josh McDaniels were co-workers with the New England Patriots for five seasons. McDaniels was Belichick’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, while Mayo was an All-Pro linebacker.
Mayo has been one of the rising stars in the NFL coaching circles since he became the Patriots’ inside linebackers coach in 2019. The Raiders defensive unit that ranks 19th in total yards allowed and 22nd in points allowed per game after Week 8 can learn a lot from the former Tennessee standout.
4) Mike MacDonald
The Baltimore Ravens have become one of the NFL’s elite defensive units eight weeks into the 2023 NFL season. They are second-best in total yards allowed (276.5) and first in points allowed (15.1) per game. That’s a massive reason for their 6-2 mark, sharing the AFC’s best record.
Mike MacDonald devises the weekly game plan that has allowed the Ravens to dominate the opposition. Aside from coaching for the Ravens, he was Michigan’s defensive coordinator in 2021. At 36 years old and 11 years younger than Josh McDaniels, he has many football years left.
5) Kellen Moore
Moore joined the Los Angeles Chargers this season as their offensive coordinator. It’s the same role he filled for four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Under his guidance, the Cowboys have had one of the best offenses in pro football.
Brandon Staley’s seat gets hotter with each Chargers loss. In that case, Moore might take over if the Spanos family decides to fire Staley. If they don’t, their division rivals must swoop in and bring Moore to Las Vegas to maximize Adams and Jacobs’ talents.
