Insider notes on Raiders’ dysfunction: ‘Glorified scout’ Josh McDaniels, Garoppolo’s abrupt benching, and Jim Harbaugh speculation
Once again, the Las Vegas Raiders are looking to revamp their front office and coaching staff after the firing of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler. Yet many wrote the McDaniels obituary in Vegas even before he coached his first game with the Raiders.
After speaking with several people, including those inside the building, I’ve gotten a good sense of what happened and opinions on which direction the franchise should go.
On Monday, January 31, 2022, I was in Las Vegas for the third day of Shrine Bowl practice. Practice was held at the Fertitta Football Complex the prior two days, but on this day the players were on the field in the magnificent Allegiant Stadium. All weekend long, word was circulating that McDaniels would soon be hired as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The day before, Ziegler was hired away from the New England Patriots to be general manager of the franchise. Then came the official announcement -- McDaniels was the new head coach of the Raiders.
The news was met with a lot of head-shaking and hilarity by team officials in attendance at Shrine Bowl practices. One team official told me:
“They’ll be looking for a new head coach in two years,” which I promptly reported.
The team official I spoke with was wrong; the McDaniels-Ziegler regime didn’t last even two years. McDaniels’ prior head coaching stint was also a disaster. Hired by the Denver Broncos in 2009, he immediately alienated himself from many of the players and was fired 12 games into the 2010 season. It was much the same in Vegas.
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Players found life tough with Josh McDaniels
Josh McDaniels couldn’t communicate with many of his players and had a “my way or the highway” mentality, similar to his mentor, Bill Belichick. McDaniels was the one who made all the decisions, and Ziegler checked off on everything.
Many characterized Ziegler as nothing more than a “glorified scout.” Of course, the irony is that Las Vegas hired the McDaniels-Ziegler team after firing head coach Jon Gruden and later general manager Mike Mayock, yet according to many, there was little difference in the dynamics of the two regimes.
McDaniels wanted to move on from quarterback Derek Carr despite the signal caller’s rapport with star receiver Davante Adams. Carr was looked upon as a team leader, and when he left, team chemistry was destroyed. McDaniels was never able to revive that chemistry and soon lost the team, according to people in the building.
What's next for Jimmy Garoppolo?
Jimmy Garoppolo was signed to be the starting quarterback, but the results have been disastrous. Coupled with Garoppolo’s poor play was questionable play calling on offense, which many of the players grumbled about.
Adams, who is highly thought of by the franchise for his play and character, was never really on board with the Garoppolo signing. Once the team decided to move on from Carr, Adams began campaigning to bring Aaron Rodgers to Las Vegas, which I originally reported from the Senior Bowl this past February.
It doesn’t look like Adams or anyone else will have to worry about Garoppolo anytime soon. After taking over the reins, head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Champ Kelly promptly announced Aidan O’Connell as the team’s quarterback moving forward.
This decision sits well with many in the organization, including Adams, who told people in confidence, “That’s the guy.” Teammates are impressed with O’Connell’s work ethic and confidence.
Is Jim Harbaugh the answer to the Raiders' problems?
What do the Raiders do moving forward? Though it’s still very early in the process and there are lots of unknowns, there is a general consensus from people I’ve spoken with on what the franchise should do.
There is a belief that owner Mark Davis needs to bring in a strong football personality to consult with or even run the team. Davis has been relying on Ken Herock for advice, but there have been too many conflicts of interest with the former Raiders tight end, and most of his advice has led to ruinous decisions.
It is also widely believed that Jim Harbaugh will be in the conversation to take over once the season is completed. Many I’ve spoken with say that even though he’s an outstanding coach, the hiring of Harbaugh, who is presently dealing with his own problems at Michigan, would be no different than the two prior regimes Las Vegas fired.
Like Gruden and McDaniels, Harbaugh would want full control over all personnel decisions and everything else related to the team. If they hired Harbaugh any general manager the franchise brought on board would be a figurehead and a general manager in name only.
There is a groundswell of support for Champ Kelly, the interim general manager, and many feel he is fit for the role of full-time general manager. Kelly is experienced in handling the salary cap as well as personnel, and he has a scouting background. More than anything else, Kelly is well-thought-of.