Las Vegas Raiders continue to call for the firing of head coach Josh McDaniels following the 26-14 Week 8 loss to the Detroit Lions. This isn’t anything new as fans have been calling for this dating back to last season.
However, the situation could be a bit complicated. Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady spent almost two decades working with McDaniels and he’s on track to become a part owner of the Raiders. Owner Mark Davis has a lot of respect for Brady. According to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, whether or not McDaniels remains the Raiders head coach could come down to what Brady thinks of him.
“Ironically, the key guy in all of this might be Brady,” Tafur wrote in an October 31 column. “He is waiting to be approved by the NFL as a Raiders minority owner, and in the meantime, he serves as an advisor to both McDaniels, his old offensive coordinator in New England, and Davis. (Broadcaster and Brady friend Jim Gray is a sounding board for Davis as well.)
“Brady was a teammate of Garoppolo’s and probably has an opinion if Garoppolo is fixable, or if he’s just not the same since offseason foot surgery.”
Brady and McDaniels won six Super Bowls together and they’ve remained friends. If Davis is relying on Brady to make a decision, that may help McDaniels’ chances of keeping the job.
What Would It Take for Josh McDaniels to Get Fired?
The Raiders have back-to-back embarrassing losses against the Lions and Chicago Bears. The most damning thing about this season is how bad the offense is. The 15.8 points a game the team is averaging is the third-worst in the NFL.
The Raiders have winnable games at home coming up and if the team manages to look bad, that could seal Josh McDaniels‘ fate, per Vic Tafur.
“Two losses to the Giants and Jets at home and a 3-7 record would surely put his patience to the test, no matter how much Brady talks up McDaniels. And if it doesn’t, Davis would owe Adams, Jacobs and Crosby an apology,” Tafur wrote.
At this point, it’s difficult to know what it would take for Mark Davis to make a change. He wants stability for the franchise and firing his head coach would open up a new can of worms. Regardless, this isn’t a good situation for the Raiders to be in.
Who Would Replace Josh McDaniels?
Mark Davis may not fire Josh McDaniels in the near future and wait to make a decision after the season. A big reason for that is that the team doesn’t have a viable replacement on the current coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has his unit playing well and could be the best candidate for the interim job but it’s difficult to see how that makes the team better this year.
Now, once the season is over, the Raiders will have many options. Former interim head coach Rich Bisaccia and Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh would likely be at the top of the list but there will be other candidates looked at. At this rate, it’s difficult to see Davis sticking with McDaniels if this season doesn’t turn around but if he truly trusts Tom Brady’s judgment in this situation, then the coach could get one more chance.
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Legendary QB May Be Key in Josh McDaniels’ Raiders Future: Insider