The Las Vegas Raiders have fired head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler just an hour after the end of the NFL trade deadline. There have been many fans and analysts calling for the firing of the head coach, and they have now gotten what they have been wishing for. The news broke on November first on the East Coast and October 31 on the West Coast.
Sources: Raiders fired HC Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 1, 2023
McDaniels was given a six-year contract by the team in January of 2022. He still currently has over four full years left on the deal that Las Vegas is obligated to pay. Owner Mark Davis put out a statement regarding the firing of their now former head coach saying that he has decided to part ways with McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler and thanked them for their time on the team.
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) November 1, 2023
Josh McDaniels Controversy
McDaniels’ record since joining the Raiders in 2022 is 9-16. He has received a ton of criticism since he joined the team after his stint as the head coach for the Denver Broncos. In Denver, he was only able to get the team to an 11-17 record from 2009-2010. This makes his overall record as a head coach 20-33, which is not good at all.
Since McDaniels and Ziegler have been terminated, that leaves the question of who will replace them at least temporarily. The new immediate head coach for Las Vegas will be linebackers coach Antonio Pierce, and the new immediate general manager will be assistant general manager Champ Kelly. Both men will have to step up big time and ensure that the team is not distracted by the firings.
Las Vegas Raiders Rejoice
The Raiders are currently sitting at a 3-5 record, placing them in third place in the AFC West division. There have been many star players on the team like wide receiver Davante Adams and running back Josh Jacobs who have voiced their frustrations with the organization and called them out for not having a winning culture.
Well, the players got what they wished for, so now it will be on them to prove that the coaching was the problem all along. We will see if Las Vegas plans to pursue a new head coach and general manager at some point.
For Additional Content
Please go and follow me on Twitter @TaylorHartmaNFL for more NFL news and updates. If you have any further personal questions or comments for Taylor, connect with him on Linkedin. For more articles on the NFL, go to this site here! Also, go check out our podcast @FSHeroics!