The Las Vegas Raiders went on a massive firing streak, with Mark Davis at their helm. They have since landed in a tough spot with Antonio Pierce as their interim head coach and rookie QB leading the pack.
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As per speculations, the entire deal has cost owner Mark Davis dearly, with a staggering $85 million down the drain. Nevertheless, being mindful of the toll it has taken on careers, Davis took to apologizing for wasting the 2023 season.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Mark Davis demonstrated exemplary leadership by apologizing to a group of players from the team. He also participated in a separate meeting to discuss the upcoming changes, which included the recent firings.
Mark Davis Will Lose a Hefty Sum After These Changes
Las Vegas Raiders lost 16 out of 25 games with Josh McDaniels as their head coach. They currently stand 3-5 in the season, with their latest loss against the Detroit Lions in a Week 8 matchup. Just as the team concluded their game with a crushing defeat of 26-14, Mark Davis sought changes, and soon came the news of the firings.
As per Dov Kleiman’s tweet, the Raiders owner mentioned that a change of management was much needed for the team’s future. Before becoming the first owner to fire a head coach and a general manager this season, Davis explicitly iterated that ‘it was time to make a change’ for the Raiders.
#Raiders owner Mark Davis personally apologized to a group of players after the team’s loss vs the #Lions on Monday Night Football, via @AdamSchefter.https://t.co/6WMFkgrjLx
Davis apologized for "Wasting their season" and had a separate meeting with a group in the organization… https://t.co/zl5FFQTe0v pic.twitter.com/GiaSDLrdNK
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 4, 2023
However, the firing spree wasn’t a bed of roses for Davis, who chose to keep money as his second priority. The management overhaul has reportedly cost the Raiders owner, a staggering $85 million.
Raiders’ owner Mark Davis demonstrated again this week that he will not let money influence how he operates his franchise: The firings of HC Josh McDaniels, GM Dave Ziegler and some of the coaching staff will cost Davis approximately $85 million.https://t.co/9oOXANFevF
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2023
Firstly, the cost comprises reworked contracts for both Antonio Pierce as the interim HC and Champ Kelly as the interim GM. However, the second and the costliest part of the replacement drive is a six-year guaranteed contract signed by the Raiders for hiring Josh McDaniels.
The Raiders made a hefty promise in the face of $10 million annually for McDaniels’ six-year deal in 2022. Consequently, the $6.2 billion franchise owes the replaced HC around $45 million. What worsens the situation is that the Raiders have seen frequent changes in management since 2021, with the likes of Jon Gruden, who signed an undisclosed buyout with the team before resigning.
Since the summer 2021 the Raiders have:
Seen team prez Marc Badain resign
Seen Jon Gruden resign
Fired GM Mike Mayock
Fired team prez Dan Ventrelle
Seen SVP Marcel Reese resign
Released QB Derek Carr
Hired and fired HC Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) November 1, 2023
However, the team pledges to continue their search after the season, which they expressed via X, writing,
“The Las Vegas Raiders are committed to undergo a comprehensive search for a general manager once the season is complete.”
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) November 1, 2023
While the handsome sum appears to be a costly affair for the Raiders, even the 3-5 season under McDaniels and Kelly seemed like an expensive spot for an NFL team. The changes in management can bring about significant shifts for the crisis-hit Raiders, or at least that’s Mark Davis’ vision. Nevertheless, the Raiders Nation is committed to keeping a close eye on developments as the Raiders promise to embark on this new era.
