Getty Former Raiders head coach Hue Jackson.
Some of the most iconic coaches in NFL history have led the Raiders but since the days of Tom Flores, the team can’t seem to find a consistent leader. Since Flores left the team in 1987, they have had 16 different head coaches, including Jon Gruden and Art Shell, who both served two separate stints. One coach who looked like he could’ve been the guy for a while was Hue Jackson.
During his first year leading the Raiders in 2011, Jackson led the team to a 7-4 in his first 11 games and the team looked destined for their first playoff berth since 2002. Unfortunately, the team went 1-4 down the stretch and missed the playoffs. Instead of giving Jackson the chance to build on his first season, the Raiders fired him and hired former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. The team went on to win 11 games over the next three seasons.
Jackson eventually became the head coach for the Cleveland Browns but flopped there. He has been trying his hand at the college ranks and was recently the offensive coordinator for Tennessee State. After just one season, he’s getting another head coaching job. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Jackson is signing a four-year contract with Grambling State.
This is an interesting step for Jackson who coached in college for over a decade before heading to the NFL.
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Did the Raiders Make a Mistake by Firing Jackson?
GettyHue Jackson
In hindsight, it’s difficult to know for sure if the Raiders should’ve fired Jackson. Replacing him with Allen was clearly a mistake as he was arguably the worst head coach the team has ever had. Jackson’s 3-36 record with the Browns is one of the worst ever but not many coaches have won there over the last few decades.
The Raiders should’ve given Jackson one more year to see what he could do with that roster. Carson Palmer went on to have some really good seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and could’ve had similar success with the Raiders under Jackson. Considering Allen was the one who replace the coach, it’s hard to argue that the team wouldn’t have been better off.
Raiders About to Launch Another Coaching Search
When the Raiders signed Jon Gruden to a 10-year contract, the hope was that they solved their head coaching issue for a long time. That wasn’t the case as he resigned this season after a number of offensive emails were leaked to the media.
Once again, the team will be looking for a new head coach this offseason unless interim head coach Rich Bisaccia turns the season around. It will be interesting to see what the Raiders do. They could target a first-time head coach and see if they find the next Sean McVay or Matt LaFleur. They could also try to go after a big name like Mike Tomlin or Jim Harbaugh and woo them away from their current jobs. It’ll be a big decision for owner Mark Davis to make as the Raiders can’t afford another disastrous rebuild that leads nowhere.
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