Las Vegas Raiders confirm who will replace Josh McDaniels

Las Vegas Raiders fired their head coach, Josh McDaniels, as well as the team’s general manager, Dave Ziegler. After losing on Monday Night to the Detroit Lions, owner Mark Davis ran out of patience.

“After much thought about what the Raiders need to move forward, I have decided to part ways with Josh and Dave. I want to thank them both for their hard work and wish them and their families nothing but the best.”

Currently, Antonio Pierce, who was working as the linebackers coach, has been officially named as the interim head coach of the Raiders and will be in charge of the game in Week 9 against the New York Giants.

After that matchup, Las Vegas will face the New York Jets, the Miami Dolphins, and the Kansas City Chiefs. Following that game against Patrick Mahomes, they will have their bye week. Whether there will be a permanent coach announced this year, that remains to be seen.

Josh McDaniels has been fired by the Raiders (Getty Images)

Who will replace Josh McDaniels as head coach?

Antonio Pierce will be the interim coach, but the Raiders have not yet determined for how long. It would be very surprising for a long-term coach to arrive in the middle of the season, and, in a very important detail, it will all depend on whether the new chosen one believes that Jimmy Garoppolo is the ideal player as quarterback.

The Las Vegas Raiders have had a disappointing 2023 season with a record of 3-5. Furthermore, the Monday Night game against Detroit was full of mistakes, and most notably, Davante Adams’ frustration after not being involved on offense as a star player.

The wide receiver’s complaints were a clear example that McDaniels simply wasn’t the best path forward. Additionally, the head coach was responsible for a critical decision for the team when he let go Derek Carr to sign Jimmy Garoppolo.

So far, Garoppolo doesn’t seem to be the franchise quarterback the Raiders were hoping for and his teammates are frustrated. Although Mark Davis didn’t disclose the reasons for firing Josh McDaniels, this could be one of the main arguments.

Jimmy Garoppolo could be on the hot seat with the Raiders (Getty Images)

How much is Josh McDaniels contract worth?

In January 2022, Josh McDaniels signed a six-year contract with the Raiders that would pay him $10 million per season. Despite firing the coach, Las Vegas would still have to pay him that money.

What’s next for the Las Vegas Raiders?

Despite the crisis the Las Vegas Raiders are going through, we must not forget that just two years ago, this team made it to the playoffs under the guidance of interim coach Rich Bisaccia and came close to eliminating the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round.

That’s why when Josh McDaniels was signed a few months later, the expectations were high, considering his past as the offensive mind behind Tom Brady in the New England Patriots.

However, the team’s rebuilding process began with a 6-11 season in 2022, but the glimmer of hope was that 9 of their 11 losses were by one score. The problem was that McDaniels’ decisions in 2023, as well as those of general manager Dave Ziegler, have prompted the management to drastically change course. Now, the Raiders are entering a new era.