The Las Vegas Raiders gave fans a treat on Halloween (or Nov. 1 if you’re on the East Coast) after they fired coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler. After a dismal performance on national television against the Detroit Lions, enough was enough, right? Well, at least Mark Davis thought so.
Las Vegas dumping the news in the middle of the night caught many off guard. Even though the NFL and sports media on the East Coast were probably asleep, there was still plenty of reaction to the firing.
Let’s dive into what some media members said about the Raiders deciding to go in a different direction.
What was the media’s reaction to the Raiders firing Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler?
While McDaniels and Ziegler were on the hot seat, it’s one thing to speculate on a firing and another for the franchise to pull the trigger. However, with the Raiders issues airing out on “Monday Night Football,” there was no way for the Silver and Black to sweep this under the rug.
Las Vegas’ loss to the Chicago Bears two weeks ago wasn’t on primetime. Furthermore, everyone watching the 26-14 loss to the Lions this week saw Davante Adams show his frustration. Viewers also saw Jimmy Garoppolo struggle to get the ball to any receiver.
The entire situation with McDaniels appeared to be reaching its boiling point. All it took was for the now-former Raiders head coach to embarrass himself in primetime to be the stick that broke the camel’s back.
There were some NFL and media members up late when Las Vegas decided to drop the news. Some were ready for this day to come, such as Moe Moton. Meanwhile, others, like Amber Theoharis, weren’t expecting this kind of news to drop, as you can see by her outfit.
From serious opinions to lighthearted reactions, here’s what some had to say:
How many times did I have to say it?
What more did we need to see from the #Raiders?
Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler had to go.
— Moe Moton (@MoeMoton) November 1, 2023
@Raiders A lot of things I don't say because I know my words carry weight. And the players can't say it because they are in the fire. But I felt like this was a repeat 94 season. When internally we knew we had a problem but you couldn't say it publicly. And We all remember the
— Tim Brown (@81TimBrown) November 1, 2023
#Raiders fans who called for this have to give Mark Davis credit for pulling the trigger after only 25 games
He’s still on the hook to pay McDaniels for the next 4 years
It’s been bad for awhile now but to eat that much money is crazy.
The right move for the future of his…
— Jesse Merrick (@JesseNews3LV) November 1, 2023
Why are the Raiders firing McDaniels in the middle of the night? On a Tuesday?
— Taylor Mathis (@TMathSports) November 1, 2023
The #Raiders have scored fewer than 20 offensive points in all 8 games in 2023 which is the longest such streak to open a season since STL & WAS in 2009
— Bridget Condon (@BridgetCondon_) November 1, 2023
I like this. All Raiders firings need to occur around midnight on Halloween. https://t.co/cBKos2Bob0
— Cousin Sal (@TheCousinSal) November 1, 2023
When @raiders news breaks after midnight on Halloween, you do radio updates dressed as … wait for it… Chucky?????? #defineirony#cantmakethisup #nfl #nodaysoff pic.twitter.com/0uqDSOsDsg
— Amber Theoharis (@AmberTheoharis) November 1, 2023
Josh McDaniels as an NFL head coach:
3-0 vs Bill Belichick
0-1 vs Jeff Saturday— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) November 1, 2023
Summarizing the Josh McDaniels era
There will be a lot more profound and insightful pieces written on why the McDaniels era in Las Vegas failed miserably. Nonetheless, the Associated Press’ Josh Dubow highlighted some low points over the last two seasons that many Raiders fans will want to forget.
Let’s start with the record. McDaniels went 9-16 as the Raiders coach, and if you want to combine his record with the Denver Broncos, McDaniels is 14-33 as a head coach.
Additionally, the former Raiders HC also lost to an undrafted D2 rookie quarterback, who was making his first start when Las Vegas fell to the Bears. Then there’s losing to a high school coach in Jeff Saturday, who was coaching in his first NFL game last season.
Finally, the most recent game was eventually the final nail in the coffin. McDaniels’ offense had the fourth game in franchise history with 80 or fewer yards rushing and passing. Despite having arguably the best wide receiver and quality depth behind him in the passing and running games, the Raiders offense has been a mess this season.
The McDaniels era is over, so let us know how you’re feeling, Raiders fans. Furthermore, in what direction does this team go now? Do you still think this squad can compete for a playoff spot, or are you more focused on the new regime that comes in?
*Top Photo: Chris Unger/Getty Images