Getty Mark Davis with Charles Woodson.
There’s no denying that Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis knows what fans of the team want him to do with head coach Josh McDaniels. Fans have been calling for the team to fire McDaniels dating back to last season but the calls are only getting louder.
Fans recently harassed Davis during the Week 4 game against the Chargers in Los Angeles. Following an embarrassing 30-12 loss to a previously 1-5 Chicago Bears team in Week 7 has only upset the fan base more.
Fans are now taking it directly to the team’s city. During the October 23 parade for Davis’ Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA, a man named Vegas Ralph was able to get face to face with the owner while holding a sign that said “Fire Josh.”
Davis engaged with the fan and expressed that he heard him. The clip was posted by @RaiderCody on X.
Vegas Ralph isn’t letting Mark Davis enjoy his #Aces Championship 😂 I feel like this stuff isn’t going to stop until he does what we’re all asking..
Owners typically don’t engage with upset fans but Davis has been a fan-friendly owner throughout his career. He’s also clearly getting frustrated. He likely didn’t believe the Raiders would look so listless a year and a half into McDaniels’ tenure. Having fans harass him on the street isn’t ideal, especially when he’s there to celebrate a championship for his other franchise.
Josh McDaniels’ Seat Must Be Heating Up
Mark Davis is a patient owner and isn’t looking to make impulsive decisions. Every full-time head coach he’s hired has gotten more than two full seasons to lead the team. The problem facing Josh McDaniels is that he took over a 10-7 that made the playoffs and has gone 9-15 in 24 games.
The Raiders have also had several embarrassing losses in that span and Week 7’s loss against a Bears team that had an undrafted rookie quarterback making his first career start might be the low point. Heading into this year, Davis likely wouldn’t have believed that he’d fire McDaniels but the Raiders are playing very poorly this season.
McDaniels had a long career as an offensive coordinator but the Raiders offense has yet to score 20 points this season. The 16.0 points a game the team is averaging is the third-worst in the NFL right now. The fact that McDaniels can’t get his side of the ball right is very concerning and could lead to his undoing.
Who Would Replace Josh McDaniels on Coaching Staff?
A major reason why Josh McDaniels’ job would be safe through the end of the season is due to the coaching staff he’s put together. There aren’t any former head coaches who would be the obvious choice to take over for him.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has interviewed for head coaching jobs before and could be the favorite for the job. However, Mark Davis may prefer to have him focus on the defense. Senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan has been coaching in the NFL for over 30 years and may be an option.
It’s hard to imagine Davis goes the route that the Indianapolis Colts did last season and hires outside of the building. While fans are eager to see McDaniels go, if it’s going to happen, it’ll most likely happen once the season is over.