Getty Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis.
The Las Vegas Raiders front office has undergone some major shake-ups since the team moved. They’ve gone through multiple teams presidents, general managers and other key executive positions. Things have stabilized since Sandra Douglass Morgan took over as Team President but the Raiders just lost another key executive.
According to Tashan Reed and Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Marcel Reece has resigned from his position and isn’t listed on the Raiders’ website anymore.
Owner Mark Davis has yet to address the news, per Tafur.
@tashanreed No comment yet from Marcel or Mark Davis.
Reece had a prolific career with the Raiders. The former fullback was one of the best players at the position during his seven seasons with the Raiders. He made four straight Pro Bowls from 2012 to 2015. After he retired from the team, he was brought in as an advisor to Davis in 2020. He eventually was promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff in 2022. Reece was considered to be one of Davis’ top advisors and they were frequently seen together at Raiders games and social events. It’s unclear what led Reece to resign from his position.
What Reece’s Resignation Means for Raiders
It’s difficult to know how Reece’s resignation could affect the Raiders. His role within the organization was never exactly clear. Davis clearly trusted him so the owner is losing one of his favorite advisors.
Losing Reece shouldn’t have any effect on the team’s day-to-day. He didn’t appear to have any involvement with personnel or the draft. He’s only 37 so he’s still got a long career in front of him. More likely come to light in the coming weeks as it’s notable that a top executive would resign right before free agency after holding his position for just a year.
Davis Needs to Stabilize Raiders
When the Raiders were in Oakland, California, it was easy for the NFL to disregard them as just another dysfunctional franchise. The team wasn’t among the most valuable in the league and didn’t play at a high level for years. However, the move to Las Vegas has been a huge win for the NFL. It’s quickly becoming one of the best sports cities in America. The city has already hosted the NFL Draft, multiple Pro Bowls and will host next year’s Super Bowl. According to Forbes, the Raiders now have the ninth-most valuable franchise in the NFL. As recently as 2015, the Raiders had the 31st most valuable franchise, per Forbes. That’s a massive increase over seven years. It could even get higher if the Raiders start winning games.
The team’s increase in value had nothing to do with winning. The Raiders have made the playoffs once in three seasons since moving to Las Vegas. The value should continue to increase, especially if the team starts to play well. Despite the increase in value, Davis has had a difficult time creating a stable situation with his franchise. If the Raiders hope to start winning, it has to start from the top down. Until the team gets a stable front office, it’s going to be difficult to create a great on-field product that draws more Raiders fans to games.
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