The Las Vegas Raiders are eagerly awaiting the AFC and NFC Championship games to wrap up, as there are several coaching candidates they’ve looked at on teams still playing. However, there are available candidates that the team is looking at.
Former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has already met the Raiders in person to discuss their opening. Recently, he decided to accept the offensive coordinator job with the Los Angeles Chargers, but he’s only going through with that if he doesn’t get a head coaching job.
It seemed like the Chargers move suggested he wasn’t expecting to get head coaching offers, but that might not be the case. According to The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen, the Raiders are still strongly considering hiring McDaniel.
Las Vegas seems to favor an offensive mind, especially with Jesse Minter going to the Baltimore Ravens. McDaniel was recently fired by the Dolphins, but he did have a 35-33 record in four seasons with two playoff appearances. Even last season, he was able to overcome a 1-6 start to finish the season 7-10 despite major issues at quarterback. It looked like he would keep his job with the Dolphins for another year before ownership had a chance of heart.
Is McDaniel the Right Fit for Raiders?
McDaniel is an elite offensive mind. He was able to do some really great things with the Dolphins’ offense with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, who is very limited.
Likely No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza should be a perfect fit for what McDaniel wants to do on offense if he’s the player the Raiders select. There’s still some concern about whether he possesses the right leadership qualities to be a top head coach.
He’s got an offbeat personality and hasn’t proven to be a good disciplinarian. The Raiders are a team that needs to build a strong culture, which is something McDaniel struggled to cultivate in Miami. Las Vegas’ offense could be very exciting with him calling plays, but he needs to approach the job differently this time around if he hopes to succeed.
Raiders Want to Go Young at Head Coach
It’s clear, based on the coaches the Raiders have been interviewing, that they want to go much younger at head coach. Last year, they hired the oldest head coach in NFL history, Pete Carroll.
That was a disaster, so the Raiders seem keen on embracing a more youthful approach. Four of the leading candidates for the team right now are Klint Kubiak (38), Davis Webb (31), Mike LaFleur (38) and McDaniel (42). Each of these coaches is over 30 years younger than Carroll.
The Raiders want a coach whom they can build around and hopefully have for the next decade. The franchise keeps cycling through different head coaches, which is a big reason why they continue to fail.
Now, there is a risk with hiring a younger coach. They don’t have as much experience and still have a lot to learn. That said, some of the best coaches in the NFL right now are young. In fact, the two head coaches coaching in the NFC Championship are both in their 30s.
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