Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders has a personal edge for New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, according to former Raiders guard Richie Incognito.
“I tell you what’s going to be a motivating factor for these Raiders,” Incognito said on the “Initial Contact” podcast. “It’s going back and getting payback on Josh McDaniels.” He accused the former Las Vegas head coach of having “disrespected everybody on this team” during his tenure.
Incognito’s views bring a pointed reminder of McDaniels’ departure as the Patriots prepare to host his former team at Gillette Stadium. New England enters at 2-2, while Las Vegas is 3-1.
Incognito Says Raiders Players Have Stories About McDaniels
Incognito suggested the absence of public discussion about McDaniels within the Raiders organization says plenty about how his tenure is remembered.
“You know how I know Raiders Nation hates McDaniels? They don’t even talk about him,” Incognito said. He went further, saying stories about how McDaniels treated the team “would blow people’s minds.”
There’s an important limit to Incognito’s account: He did not play a game under McDaniels. The Raiders hired McDaniels in January 2022, and Incognito announced his retirement that July. Their time with the organization overlapped during that offseason. Incognito has maintained ties to the franchise, which featured him in an interview earlier this week.
Accounts from McDaniels’ final season in Las Vegas do establish that players raised concerns directly with him.
In October 2023, NFL.com reported that Davante Adams, Maxx Crosby and Josh Jacobs were among those who spoke during a team meeting about frustrations with the Raiders’ direction.
A subsequent NFL.com report described complaints about lengthy meetings, overcorrection and how players were held accountable. Those reports provide context for the friction Incognito described, though they do not establish that every current Raider shares his opinion.
Las Vegas fired McDaniels after a 3-5 start in 2023. He finished 9-16 across 25 games as Raiders head coach before returning to New England as offensive coordinator in 2025.
McDaniels Goes Against Old Team in Week 5
This will be McDaniels’ second meeting with Las Vegas since his return to the Patriots. The Raiders won 20-13 at Gillette Stadium in last season’s opener. New England has lost three straight against Las Vegas, including two games played while McDaniels coached the Raiders.
The Patriots have a more pressing concern than Incognito’s comments, and that’s protecting Drake Maye against a defense McDaniels has praised for its disruption and ability to force turnovers.
Crosby is one of the recognized faces from McDaniels’ tenure, and Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said New England must know where the defensive end lines up on every play.
McDaniels’ offense comes with momentum after producing a season-high 405 yards and 26 first downs in last week’s win over the Buffalo Bills.
A repeat performance would give New England a chance to end its skid against Las Vegas.
Incognito, meanwhile, has made clear which result he believes some Raiders players would find especially satisfying.
Patriots’ McDaniels Targeted for ‘Payback’ by Former Raiders Pro Bowler