The Las Vegas Raiders are on their fourth head coach since 2021, and it goes without saying that all the changes have cost them a significant sum of money. We now have a better idea of how much.
Josh McDaniels was fired this week in just his second season with the Raiders. While details of contracts for NFL coaches are typically not made public, reports have indicated that McDaniels signed a 6-year deal with Las Vegas that paid him around $10 million annually.
The Raiders also owed Jon Gruden a ton of money at the time he was forced to resign over a leaked email scandal. Though, the two sides are said to have come to an undisclosed settlement.
According to sports business reporter Joe Pompliano, the Raiders owe McDaniels and Gruden a combined sum of between $40 and $80 million.
NFL coaching contracts are fully guaranteed.
So with the Raiders firing Josh McDaniels last night (and Jon Gruden resigning in '21), they are now paying somewhere between $40M & $80M for them not to coach the team, depending on Gruden's settlement.
That's poor money management. pic.twitter.com/DXVVK6SA63
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) November 1, 2023
No Raiders head coach has lasted four seasons since Gruden’s first run with the team from 1998-2001. Their last coach who stuck around for five seasons was Art Shell from 1990-1994. Team owner Mark Davis has probably grown use to paying million to coaches who are no longer on his staff.
It is unclear how big of a splash Davis will want to make with his next head coach hire, but one very notable name is currently the betting favorite to land the job. Former NFL linebacker Antonio Pierce will serve as head coach in the interim.
