In the world of professional football, the Las Vegas Raiders once again find themselves facing a critical juncture. Following the dismissals of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler late Tuesday night, the Raiders enter another phase of uncertainty.
The entire mindset Raiders owner Mark Davis uses in his role as owner of the once-storied franchise must change or it is doomed to repeat past mistakes.
The burning question remains: Can the Raiders break free from their disappointments and truly move forward?
Mark Davis’ decision to hire McDaniels, Ziegler was the problem
Let’s be clear. Mark Davis made the right decision. It was evident that hiring McDaniels and Ziegler didn’t work out as planned. Things were getting worse on the field, in the locker room and with the rabid fan base. However, it’s worth noting that Davis has faced situations before.
Since taking charge after Al Davis’ death in 2011, the Raiders have had eight different head coaches under Mark Davis. It’s been an absolute embarrassment for this once-proud franchise. During his ownership, the Raiders are 74-112 (.398) and are just 130-216 (.376) since their last Super Bowl appearance in 2002 — Al Davis’ last shot at a ring as owner. This staggering record reveals the organization’s key issue: the struggle to establish a stable and winning culture and Mark Davis’ role in that failure.
Mark Davis does not know how to hire football people. That’s a reality, based on a large sample size.
While Mark Davis deserves recognition for his business acumen in transforming the Raiders into a profitable franchise and successfully relocating them to Las Vegas, his football-related choices have left much to be desired. In contrast, let’s consider his ownership of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces.
Under his guidance, they have won back-to-back championships since he purchased the team in 2021. But there is an important distinction here. He has chosen to stay out of the Aces’ basketball decisions. He’s made excellent moves having entrusted the basketball decisions to experts like the renowned head coach Becky Hammond. The outcomes of this approach speak for themselves.
So why doesn’t Davis apply a hands off strategy with the Raiders?
As he admitted in an interview I did with him in 2020, he’s not a coach, he’s not a GM and he wants to “leave football decisions to people who know what they’re doing.” He’s right about that but he also needs to apply that to himself when it comes to hiring general managers and coaches.
Mark Davis means well but doesn’t have the football acumen to hire the best people to lead the organization on the field and those he needs to build a championship team. The numbers and contracts paid to coaches no longer in their roles prove this.
The other hire the Las Vegas Raiders need to make
Here’s what Davis should consider in the run-up to the search the Raiders will conduct to find a new GM and coach at the end of the season: establishing a President of Football Operations role.
This individual should report directly to Davis and have complete independence in hiring general managers and coaches and making other critical football-related decisions. The need for this is apparent; the Raiders need someone with a proven track record in building football teams to take charge. It’s not a criticism of Davis’ abilities; he acknowledges that he’s not a hardcore football mind. His self-awareness should lead to change and if he has yet to consider this type of structure, will he repeat his past mistakes?
The Raiders will repeat the cycle of hiring choices and missed opportunities without implementing this type of restructuring. The stakes have never been higher. Since they’ve recently moved to Las Vegas, they must establish a winning culture that aligns with the Raiders’ legacy and brings pride to Raider Nation.
Mark Davis finds himself at a turning point where he has an opportunity to redefine the trajectory of the Raiders.
By relinquishing control to those who understand the intricacies of the game, he can concentrate on his strengths. However, if he makes mistakes in these crucial appointments again, it could be a point of no return for the team.
For Raider Nation, which has experienced its fair share of disappointments and setbacks, there is hope that Davis has learned from previous oversights. Could he finally build the Raiders organization to win and to do so for a long time to come?
As the team’s owner, Davis must build a culture and environment that leads to continuity and success. He, once again, has a chance to do it. This is all on him. It’s not Jack Del Rio’s failure. It’s not Jon Gruden’s failure, and it’s not Josh McDaniels’ failure. Davis hired them, and he owns their outcomes.
The question remains: Will Davis hold himself accountable and change his approach?
Raider Nation eagerly watches with anticipation.