On January 7th, 2021, the Oakland Raiders made the surprising decision to part ways with their head coach, Josh McDaniels. After just one season with the team, McDaniels was let go due to a lack of progress and a lack of chemistry with the players.
McDaniels was hired by the Raiders in January of 2020 after spending the previous eight seasons as the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. He was brought in to help turn around a struggling Raiders team that had gone 7-9 in 2019.
However, McDaniels’ tenure with the Raiders was short-lived. The team finished the 2020 season with a 7-9 record, and McDaniels was unable to get the most out of his players. He also had difficulty connecting with the team’s veterans, which led to a lack of chemistry and trust between him and the players.
The Raiders’ decision to part ways with McDaniels is a clear indication that they are looking for a new direction for their franchise. With McDaniels gone, the team can now focus on finding a head coach who can bring stability and success to the organization.
McDaniels’ brief stint with the Raiders is yet another reminder that coaching in the NFL is a difficult job. It takes a special kind of person to be successful in this league, and McDaniels was unable to find that success in Oakland.
The Raiders now have an opportunity to start fresh with a new head coach and hopefully find the success that eluded them under McDaniels. It will be interesting to see who they choose to lead their team in 2021 and beyond.