After their win against the Patriots in week 6, the Raiders were at 3-3, and the team finally had hope for turning things around. However, their offense struggled significantly in the following two games, failing to gain any traction whatsoever. The management then decided to overhaul the team and fired both the HC Josh McDaniels and GM David Ziegler. According to some, these changes have been a long time coming and could be a win-win situation, as both McDaniels and even former coach John Gruden might not leave empty-handed.
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According to a tweet from Sports Business analyst Joe Pompliano, Josh McDaniels and former coach Jon Gruden could still get handsomely paid, even without coaching, thanks to NFL coaching contracts being fully guaranteed.
How Much Can Josh McDaniels and Jon Gruden Get Paid?
McDaniels signed a six-year contract worth $60 million last year with the Raiders. Jon Gruden on the other hand had six years remaining on a 10-year worth $100 million contract with the team but resigned from his post due to some serious allegations.
Pompliano believes both Gruden and McDaniels might receive a total $40 – $80 million buyout, despite not coaching the team. This solely depends on Gruden’s settlement from two years back, which remains undisclosed from the public view.
NFL coaching contracts are fully guaranteed.
So with the Raiders firing Josh McDaniels last night (and Jon Gruden resigning in '21), they are now paying somewhere between $40M & $80M for them not to coach the team, depending on Gruden's settlement.
That's poor money management. pic.twitter.com/DXVVK6SA63
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) November 1, 2023
Therefore, according to the post, McDaniel is set to get paid his share till 2027. However, as the buyout hasn’t yet been made public, there’s no certainty around this claim. The fans also had the same question about the buyout and wondered how Pompliano could be certain if Gruden was still getting paid.
Fans Voice Their Two Cents Around Pompliano’s Post
This post appears to have created some confusion in the NFL world, as a user claimed how Gruden isn’t getting paid anymore, commenting, “Gruden isn’t getting paid anymore.” To this statement, Pompliano explained how the former coach is definitely getting paid, however, the buyout remains undisclosed. Therefore, it could range from $0 to $40 million. This $40 million buyout comes from the time he had left to serve with the team. Notably, Pompliano also explained how this amount remains uncertain due to the undisclosed settlement.
Gruden is getting paid. He reached an undisclosed settlement with the Raiders in 2021, meaning he walked away with somewhere between $0 (lol) and $40 million (the amount of money he had left on his contract).
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) November 1, 2023
According to an article by ESPN, quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree is set to replace McDaniels’ position. The team also named Antonio Pierce as their interim head coach.
The Raiders, currently 3-5, might have a repeat of last year by missing the playoffs. However, these major changes showcase that the management seeks results and no longer intends to stay the AFC underdogs. Notably, the team has only made the playoffs twice, in 2016 and 2021, since their Super Bowl appearance in 2002.
