Raiders fireplace coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — When the Las Vegas Raiders employed Josh McDaniels in January 2022, he mentioned he had discovered from his first stint as an NFL head coach.

However McDaniels’ document truly was worse the second time round than it was with the Denver Broncos in 2009 and 2010, and late Tuesday night time, the Raiders introduced that proprietor Mark Davis fired McDaniels and normal supervisor Dave Ziegler.

McDaniels grew to become the primary non-interim coach within the Tremendous Bowl period to be fired by two franchises earlier than the top of his second season.

“After a lot considered what the Raiders want to maneuver ahead, I’ve determined to half methods with Josh and Dave,” Davis mentioned in an announcement. “I need to thank them each for his or her onerous work and want them and their households nothing however one of the best.”

The Raiders introduced linebackers coach Antonio Pierce will take over because the interim coach. His first recreation will likely be Sunday at dwelling towards the Giants. He performed for New York from 2005-09.

Las Vegas additionally introduced assistant normal supervisor Champ Kelly would be the interim GM.

The crew will conduct searches for replacements for McDaniels and Ziegler after the season.

McDaniels was the Raiders’ play caller, so offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi may take over these duties.

Davis had hoped to deliver the New England’s success westward when he employed McDaniels, the longtime Patriots offensive coordinator. Ziegler labored in New England’s entrance workplace, and between the previous teammates at John Carroll College, they remodeled the Raiders into Patriots West by signing a number of gamers with ties to that group.

However regardless of taking up a crew that made the playoffs in 2021 earlier than dropping to the Cincinnati Bengals within the wild-card spherical, the success Davis so badly needed by no means made its solution to Las Vegas.

The Raiders below McDaniels went 6-11 in 2022 and are 3-5 to this point this season for a .360 successful share. His document at Denver was 11-17 (.393 share).

Even so, Davis has stood by McDaniels, and the timing of this dismissal is shocking. McDaniels met with the media early Tuesday afternoon and was scheduled for an additional information convention Wednesday morning to debate going through the Giants.

However McDaniels had some issues working towards him. The Raiders have failed to attain at the least 20 factors in eight of their previous 9 video games courting to final season, and offense is his specialty. The one recreation Las Vegas reached that determine got here due to a fourth-quarter security in a 21-17 victory over the Patriots on Oct. 15.

Maybe simply as damaging was the general public displeasure a few of his gamers have proven. Star extensive receiver Davante Adams, particularly, has been vocal for the reason that offseason about his considerations relating to the path of the franchise. Operating again Josh Jacobs when requested after Monday night time’s loss to the Detroit Lions about what may spark the offense, mentioned, “I don’t know, that ain’t my job.”

McDaniels was employed following the 2021 season when Davis opted to not preserve interim coach Wealthy Bisaccia on for the full-time job even after he led the crew to a shocking playoff run.

McDaniels and Ziegler had been aggressive of their first offseason, buying and selling first and second-round picks for Adams, giving an enormous free agent contract to defensive finish Chandler Jones and lengthening the contracts of Derek Carr, Maxx Crosby, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow.

However these strikes didn’t result in constructive outcomes on the sphere as McDaniels by no means was in a position to construct the high-powered offense Davis anticipated when he employed him and struggled to win video games.

The Raiders misplaced a record-tying 5 video games after taking double-digit leads, together with blowing a 20-0 halftime lead in his dwelling debut towards Arizona for the most important collapse in franchise historical past. Las Vegas misplaced to Indianapolis within the Colts’ first recreation with Jeff Saturday as interim coach after he had by no means coached above highschool degree after which misplaced to Baker Mayfield and the Rams two days after Mayfield joined his new crew.

McDaniels benched Carr late final season and ultimately reduce him within the offseason, giving the Raiders no return for a beginning quarterback who ended up getting a $150 million contract from New Orleans.

McDaniels introduced in his former pupil in New England, Jimmy Garoppolo, as the brand new beginning quarterback and the offense severely regressed, changing into the primary crew since 2009 to attain lower than 20 factors on offense in every of the primary eight video games of the season.

The final two weeks had been significantly humbling as Las Vegas misplaced 30-12 to Chicago and undrafted rookie former Division II quarterback Tyson Bagent after which seemed utterly inept in a 26-14 loss at Detroit on Monday night time.

McDaniels completed his tenure with the third-worst document of any Raiders coach with at the least 25 video games.

___

AP Professional Soccer Author Josh Dubow contributed to this report.