Getty Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Rich Bisaccia.
The future trajectory has already changed a few times for the Las Vegas Raiders this season. Heading into the year, the idea was that Jon Gruden would be leading the team for a long time to come. After he resigned, Rich Bisaccia took over. He started off his tenure as head coach with two impressive wins and it looked like he’d have a great chance of keeping the job long term. The Raiders then went on to lose five of six games and Bisaccia’s future in Las Vegas was all but dead.
The Raiders have now won three in a row, secured their first winning record since 2016 and could get into the playoffs with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Bisaccia’s chances of keeping the job have vastly improved over the last few weeks. However, there’s still no guarantee that the job is his to lose.
If the Raiders move on from Bisaccia, they will have possibly the most appealing opening in the entire league. According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, players for the team “love” Bisaccia but she’s already spoken to two head coaching candidates that are more interested in the Las Vegas opening over other jobs.
This could end up being a brutally tough decision for owner Mark Davis to make. On one hand, the team has responded to Bisaccia and is playing hard for him. On the other hand, the Raiders could have their pick of a very strong coaching field. If he picks Bisaccia and the team is bad next season, the probable opening would be less appealing.
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Does Playoff Berth Guarantee Bisaccia the Head Coaching Job?
While the Jacksonville Jaguars have already opened up their coaching search, the Raiders haven’t officially set up interviews with anybody yet. It’s very possible that Davis has already decided that a playoff berth gives Bisaccia another year. It’d be hard to argue against that decision process.
The Raiders have been to the playoffs once since 2002. Bisaccia took over a team that lost its head coach and more issues followed. He deserves a ton of credit for the fact that they aren’t a total disaster right now. He’s made some poor decisions but he also didn’t think he’d be a head coach this year. Perhaps a full offseason being in charge would make a difference. If Las Vegas makes the playoffs, he’ll most likely get the chance to repeat his success.
Which Candidates Could Force Bisaccia Out?
The Raiders are starving for a playoff berth but that’s not all they want. The ultimate goal is a Super Bowl win. Bisaccia may be the guy to get the team in the playoffs this year but if they get embarrassed in the first round, it will show that they’re still far away from getting to a Super Bowl. Depending on what candidates are available to the Raiders, Davis could still consider a head coaching change regardless of what happens this season.
It’s no secret that Davis and the Raiders have sought Jim Harbaugh for years. If he’s ready to jump back into the NFL, that could convince the owner to move on from Bisaccia. If Mike Tomlin is ready for a change of scenery after over a decade in Pittsburgh, the Raiders should be all over that situation. Other than those two, there aren’t many clear candidates who would be upgrades over Bisaccia, especially if he makes the playoffs.
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