Getty Former Raiders DB Charles Woodson.
With the Las Vegas Raiders season wrapping up, it’s safe to say things didn’t go according to plan. The team didn’t get close to making the playoffs after making it last season and there’s going to be a quarterback change despite Derek Carr getting a contract extension in the offseason. Many fans have not been impressed with the performance of head coach Josh McDaniels in his first season.
There have been many calls to fire him throughout the year but owner Mark Davis has made it clear that he’s not going to do that yet. However, McDaniels is going to have a much shorter leash heading into 2023. Based on how the Raiders performed in 2022, it’s fair to question if he’ll be coaching the team for the long haul. If the team needs to make another coaching change in the near future, it’s possible that Davis could get weird.
Perhaps the most beloved former Raider is Charles Woodson. The Hall of Fame defensive back is revered by the fan base and is one of the greatest players to ever wear silver and black. He has no coaching experience but there are fans who would like to see him get a chance at the head job. Unfortunately for fans who would like to see him roaming the sideline, Woodson recently made it clear that he won’t be doing that.
@_MarioThuggin @Raiders I don’t believe that’s in my future
Why Would Woodson Want to Coach?
Woodson’s got a good thing going right now. He’s got a gig covering college football for Fox Sports and also owns popular wine and whiskey brands. Woodson was a great leader when he was still playing but great players rarely make great coaches. He knows that and doesn’t want to hurt his reputation.
It’s possible that Woodson would be a great head coach. Art Shell is one of the greatest players in NFL history and had a solid first run with the Raiders as a head coach in the early 90s. However, Woodson has never come off as a person who is itching to get back to the grind. While fans would be thrilled to have the Hall of Famer back in any capacity, he appears content with what he has going on right now. Plus, he was at Saturday’s blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s doubtful he saw anything in that game that would make him want to coach.
Is McDaniels Coaching for His Job Next Season?
Davis wants to find a long-term head coach. That’s why he gave Jon Gruden a 10-year contract before he resigned. When he interviewed McDaniels, he was likely sold on the idea of the Raiders becoming a West Coast version of the Patriots. The early returns haven’t been great. McDaniels took a team that made the playoffs last season and made them worse.
Davis likely made the right decision to not fire the coach after one season. As bad as 2022 went, starting from scratch again would only make things worse. However, McDaniels’ leash should be considerably shorter in 2023. Depending on how the offseason goes, the Raiders should be looked at as playoff contenders heading into next season. Another 2-7 start might get McDaniels canned before he can finish the year. Davis wants the coach to succeed but he also needs to build a winner in Las Vegas so opposing fans stop taking over his stadium.