The Las Vegas Raiders entered the 2022 season with high expectations after hiring head coach Josh McDaniels and acquiring All-Pro receiver Davante Adams. A year after the Raiders reached the postseason with interim coach Rich Bisaccia, many expected the offense to improve and for Las Vegas to make a deep playoff run.
Instead, the Raiders went 6-11 and became the first team in NFL history to blow four double-digit halftime leads in a single reason. Las Vegas missed the playoffs, in part thanks to a 2-4 record in its last five games with the offense scoring under 20 points in three of those defeats.
- Josh McDaniels coaching record:Â 17-28 in career
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Many called for the Raiders to fire McDaniels. There was a concerning pattern of the coach repeating the same issues he had with the Denver Broncos. The Raiders had one of the worst second-half offenses in the NFL and ranked in the bottom 10 for red-zone touchdown scoring.
- Las Vegas Raiders offense stats (2022): 48.94% red-zone touchdown rate (26th), 20.2 second-half points per game (18th), 39.9% third-down conversion rate (16th)
Changes were made immediately in Las Vegas this offseason, with quarterback Derek Carr released and McDaniels playing an instrumental role in the ongoing quarterback search. No matter which quarterback he helps the organization choose and seemingly regardless of the Raiders’ record in 2023, though, McDaniels’ job might not be in jeopardy.
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Yahoo Sports NFL insider Charles Robinson shared on the You Pod to Win the Game, Robinson took an in-depth look at the Raiders’ situation. After explaining why Las Vegas is likely drafting a quarterback over targeting a veteran, the senior NFL reporter also disclosed his belief that McDaniels won’t even be in jeopardy of losing his job next season.
“I don’t think Josh McDaniels is gonna get fired in 2023 either. No matter how the team performs. He (team owner Mark Davis) owes Josh McDaniels money, and I don’t think he’s going to walk away from the contract after two years either.”
Yahoo Sports’ senior NFL reporter Charles Robinson on Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels
Money is viewed as part of the reason. Mark Davis is far from being one of the richest NFL owners, viewed more so as “cash poor” around the league. The Raiders’ organization has also faced numerous allegations. In 2022, multiple former team employees told the New York Times about disarray in the organization, poor financial mismanagement, NDAs and unpaid bills.
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McDaniels signed a four-year contract in January 2022 and there were reports in November that the Raiders didn’t have the money to fire him. Davis might have enough to run an NFL team, but the Jon Gruden settlement with more than $40 million still owed to him following his dismissal and other instances of financial issues suggest the organization has to make decisions with the cost heavily weighed in.
In many ways, McDaniels drafting a young quarterback is the perfect cover to keep him through the 2023 season. Because he is well-regarded for his work with young signal-callers, the Raiders can cite the need for McDaniels to have another season working with the quarterback he drafted.
As a result, barring a historically bad season from the team, McDaniels seems very likely to stay in Las Vegas for next season and beyond.