I have been a die-hard member of Raider Nation since 1998. We even crossed paths at Rickey’s when Jon Gruden returned in 2018. For decades, I watched this organization struggle until I eventually entered sports journalism myself, hoping to understand why the “Commitment to Excellence” has fallen so far short. Being part of Raider Nation has always been an honor, a brotherhood that binds people together. Lately, it has felt more like a burden.
Since you took over as managing general partner and owner, the franchise has not won anything of consequence. Fourteen years have brought two playoff appearances, zero playoff wins and no division titles. That is especially perplexing considering your four-year run with the Las Vegas Aces has yielded three WNBA championships. You clearly know what it takes to build a winning, profitable franchise, yet the formula has not translated to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The talent gap and the accountability gap…
Despite world-class facilities and a state-of-the-art home in Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders still cannot get it right on the field. When you first arrived as owner, you told fans you would let the people you hire do their jobs. Admirable. You also said, “The buck stops with me.” The truth is simple: there is not enough talent on this roster, and no head coach is going to fix anything until that fundamental issue is addressed.
Antonio Pierce, a position coach thrust into the interim role, rallied the locker room and coaxed more out of the roster than most expected. Pete Carroll arrived with a Hall of Fame résumé and will still finish with fewer wins than Pierce. The problem has never been just the headset. It is the foundation.
Allegiant Stadium, beautiful as it is, does not provide the home-field advantage the Coliseum once did. Opposing fans regularly overtake the building because the on-field product does not inspire loyalty, let alone fear. Year after year, fans are told to be patient, to hope next season will be different. They continue to pay premium prices to watch a franchise that cannot escape its own inertia.
We’re tired, boss.
The fanbase is exhausted, Mark—tired of losing, tired of turnover, tired of the annual refusal to properly address the quarterback position, tired of watching a proud franchise drift without a rudder. I am one of the older heads now, and even I see a team unwilling to do what must be done to compete.
Many friends and fellow fans are turning away. While part of me wants to chastise them for walking away from Raider Nation, it is difficult to blame them. The Raiders are not giving us anything to cheer for. Winning six games in two years is not just unacceptable. It is indefensible.
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It’s time the Raiders owner “smartens up…”
Whoever has been advising you on football operations has been overselling bad ideas for far too long. Today’s NFL is a quarterback-driven league. You know it. I know it. Anyone who watches the sport knows it. Derek Carr was drafted in 2014 and remained the starter until 2023, so the lack of first-round quarterback investments during that stretch was at least understandable.
But what about after?
The revolving door of Geno Smith, Jimmy Garoppolo and Gardner Minshew has been expensive and largely unproductive. For four straight years, your general manager has convinced you to delay drafting a quarterback, culminating in one of the shallowest draft classes in recent memory.
Making the quarterback the priority…
You once told fans to “smarten up,” and oddly enough, that sentiment now needs to be directed back your way. Allow me to offer one piece of free advice: it is time to force the issue. The Raiders must draft or acquire a legitimate franchise quarterback—whether a top prospect or a proven former MVP via trade. Anyone suggesting otherwise is simply not paying attention to the modern NFL or to the state of your roster.
The supporting cast is not the problem. The skill positions are largely in place. What this offense truly lacks is a quarterback, two guards or a guard and a center, and a right tackle who requires either improvement or development. A true No. 1 wide receiver would help, but the foundation is there. Free agency remains the more reliable path to securing proven offensive linemen capable of protecting a quarterback. The draft should be used to secure the most important position in the sport—before this franchise falls further behind.
Former MVPs face off in what is best for the Raiders to acquire…
Lamar Jackson, by all reasonable accounts, should have been a Raider when Josh McDaniels moved on from Derek Carr. His acquisition would have cost only a first- and third-round pick at a time when much of the league balked at offering him a fully guaranteed deal. The Raiders could have stepped in, capitalized on the hesitation, and secured two of Jackson’s prime seasons.
The 2026 draft class does not offer quarterback prospects superior to Jackson or Joe Burrow. Jackson, who has no remaining guaranteed money on his contract, could be moved for a package headlined by the 2026 No. 1 overall pick and a 2027 first-rounder. A pick swap or an additional third- or fourth-round pick might be required if Baltimore pushes back. His no-trade clause also means any deal would require a new contract.
Lamar Jackson will expect to reset the market…
Dak Prescott’s $60 million average currently leads the league, and Jackson’s next deal will likely land in the $62.4–$65 million range. With Allegiant Stadium producing the highest profit margin in the country and the franchise generating unprecedented revenue since relocating, the Raiders can afford it. The signing bonus—likely in the $180–$200 million range—is steep, but that is the cost of securing a two-time MVP.
Burrow presents a different challenge. He is the only AFC quarterback to prevent Kansas City from reaching the Super Bowl since 2020, and when protected, he is as polished and efficient as any pocket passer in the league. That trait gives him an edge even Jackson cannot claim.
But persuading Burrow to leave Cincinnati would be far more difficult. He has a full no-trade clause, better weapons in place, and little incentive to relocate to a roster with similar pass-protection issues. A running back and tight end will not move him. Burrow has also begun hinting at life after football. Approaching 30, with multiple injuries behind him, he is not a player chasing marginal dollars; he wants a stable, winning environment.
Either quarterback would be a massive upgrade over Geno Smith or any incoming rookie. Their salaries come with the territory. The bigger question is organizational direction: an older coach may prefer established veterans, whereas a new hire might push for a rookie of his own choosing.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images