The Las Vegas Raiders are in for a celebration after they destroyed the New York Giants on Sunday night. The Raiders faced a series of critical events gripped by a fear of losing streaks. The fear led to the sudden firings of head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler by the franchise’s owner. However, it seems that in the end it all turned out well for the team, and Mark Davis’ gamble to appoint Antonio Pierce as the team’s interim head coach paid off.
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The whole incident, however, seemingly casts a shadow on McDaniel’s coaching. Not only the owner, but even the players on his team expressed dissatisfaction with his game-time decisions. After winning the game, Raiders rookie Nesta Jade Silvera went live only to fire shots toward his former head coach.
During the Raiders’ locker room celebration, the rookie defensive tackle expressed his dissatisfaction with being benched by Josh McDaniel for most of the games this season. Silvera had played only one game this season against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. However, he finally got the chance to pad up in Sunday’s game against the Giants. Further in the video, he even gave a shout-out to Antonio Pierce for letting him play.
What’d I say every week so far?! FREE 99 #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/pHAOzU1Uuk
— Reigns Design (@ReignsDsn) November 6, 2023
The seventh-round pick made one assisted tackle during the Raiders 30-6 win against the New York Giants. The Raiders dominated the game since the first quarter and until the third quarter ended; they had a 27-point lead in the game. It was only in the last quarter that Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson scored his team’s first and only touchdown.
Las Vegas Raiders to Still Pay Josh McDaniels After Termination
While the situation looks dire for McDaniels, not everything has gone against the coach. The Raiders hired McDaniels at the start of the 2022 season. Despite getting fired a year later, McDaniel will still make millions as the Raiders handed him a multi-year contract last year. The offer came after former Raider’s head coach Jon Gruden resigned from his position in the 2021 season. The Raiders finished the 2021 season with a winning record of 10-6. However, under McDaniels, the team went 6-11 and finished third last in the AFC West last season.
Las Vegas Raiders offered McDaniels a massive six-year, $60 million contract. He couldn’t complete two seasons with the franchise and as the coaching contracts are fully guaranteed, the Raiders still owe him over $40 million. Josh McDaniel might be unemployed, but he remains the eighth-highest-paid coach in the league.
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
The Raiders’ poor hiring decisions have lost them a considerable amount of money. Along with McDaniels, the franchise also fired GM David Ziegler and OC Mick Lombardi. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter Raiders, they owe $85 million to them. Additionally, they signed Jimmy Garoppolo in a three-year, $72.75 million contract in 2023. Recently, they benched him for rookie QB Aidan O’Connell. If Garoppolo doesn’t take on the starting role, the Raiders will pay him around $50 million in the next two years for not starting.
