The decision to fire former general manager Mike Mayock and interim head coach Rich Bisaccia was one of the Las Vegas Raiders’ most unexpected acts in recent memory.
Mayock and Bisaccia had the Raiders looking well by the end of the 2021 season, but owner Mark Davis thought it was time to bring in a new regime.
“You come off something where you think — you inherit a four-win team and three years later, you win 10,” Mayock remarked when he recently joined the “3 and Out with John Middlekauff” podcast. “You’re on the 9-yard line against the Super Bowl Cincinnati Bengals, with four downs and 35 seconds to tie the game. We didn’t finish it.
“So, I came away from that season thinking, ‘OK, it was a crazy year.’… Jon Gruden was dismissed. Henry Ruggs was involved in the tragic accident that killed a woman. We had a lot of horrible things happen, and Rich Bisaccia was great. I still can’t believe he’s not an NFL head coach.
“And I believe Rich and I saw things in the same light, and that there could have been a future there, building on that playoff squad. So when I got fired, I was like, ‘Wow.’ I appreciate that some of the draft picks may receive individual criticism, and I completely understand why. Not everyone knows why guys got picked when they did.
“But… yeah, everyone knows who the NFL GM is.” Many folks knew me from the NFL Network. And there was a lot of public criticism, which I believe is OK since people have been taking shots at you since the first time I did a mock draft for the NFL Network 100 years ago.
“And I don’t really care; it’s just when your kids or loved ones ask, ‘Who is this guy, and why does he hate you?'” And you just have to say, ‘It’s all right; we’re fine.'”
After the Raiders earned their first postseason appearance under Mayock and Bisaccia, it was logical to assume their careers were safe.
“We were 6-7 at the time, and I’m sure Mark Davis was sitting there thinking, ‘I’m going to move on.’ And we were able to win the last four, get the No. 5 seed in the AFC, and give the Raiders their second playoff appearance in 21 years. So, I believe Rich and I, as well as the coaching and scouting staff, were optimistic that we would be able to establish something.
You can watch the complete podcast episode here.
The NFL Draft will take place in Detroit, Michigan, on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the 13th overall pick.
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