Jon Gruden has resigned as the Raiders head coach after racist and homophobic messages he sent while working at ESPN surfaced. Who can replace him in Las Vegas?
The Las Vegas Raiders are without a head coach as Jon Gruden, who the team gave a 10-year, $100 million contract in 2018, has resigned. His resignation comes after emails from years past surfaced that included troubling racist, homophobic and misogynistic comments. As more messages began to surface, his decision to resign came swiftly.
Rumors have circulated that special teams coach Rich Bissasica will take over for the remainder of the 2021 season remains to be seen. However, they will certainly be looking to hire a new head coach in the 2022 cycle that will hopefully last for a long time.
So, who are the best candidates to replace Jon Gruden as Las Vegas Raiders head coach? We have five candidates that would make a ton of sense.
5. Joe Brady
Current Role: Panthers Offensive Coordinator
Formerly known as the LSU wunderkind, Joe Brady is now in the NFL ranks as the offensive coordinator for Matt Rhule in Carolina. But after the season he put together with Teddy Bridgewater in 2020, interviewing for head coaching jobs last offseason, and now seemingly rejuvenating Sam Darnold (at least to some degree), he should get much more serious looks for the 2022 head coach carousel.
Brady has been an offensive mastermind everywhere he’s worked to this point, maximizing the talents of his players and, specifically, drastically improving passing games. Offense hasn’t been a huge issue for the Raiders but having someone like Brady come in who can guide Derek Carr into the next chapter and mold weapons like Henry Ruggs III and others would be highly advantageous for Las Vegas.
4. Nathaniel Hackett
Current Role: Packers Offensive Coordinator
Unlike the other four names here, Nathaniel Hackett wouldn’t be the sexiest pick to replace Jon Gruden as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. There aren’t any people calling him a genius or the next big thing. However, the current Packers OC working under Matt LaFleur has one thing working for him that fans of the silver and black would love to see: Everywhere he goes, the offense just seems to be the best possible version of themselves.
Whether it was working with Blake Bortles in Jacksonville and making him the leader of a not-just-competent but quality offense or doing similar things elsewhere or helping lead Aaron Rodgers into the later stages of his career with aplomb, Hackett has quietly been a magic worker when it comes to offenses. It would be exciting to see what he could do given the opportunity in Las Vegas with the weapons that are in place.
3. Lincoln Riley
Current Role: Oklahoma Sooners Head Coach
Considering that Lincoln Riley has been a hot name to make the jump from the college ranks to the NFL but has seemingly never come close to taking the plunge, this might seem pie in the sky. Then again, if there’s one of a few teams that could possibly pull it off, the Raiders are one of them.
Put simply, team owner Mark Davis has never remotely had an issue with hiring or signing someone who will steal the most headlines and bring the most flash. Branded as another offensive genius, Riley would undoubtedly do that as him joining the silver and black would be a move that would draw every NFL fan’s attention.
How Riley would fare remains to be seen but his pedigree with the Sooners suggests that he could breathe new life into the Raiders. And that’s certainly what they’ll need after this season.
2. Eric Bieniemy
Current Role: Chiefs Offensive Coordinator
Just to get this out of the way, you do have to wonder how the machinations of the interview and hiring process would go with Eric Bieniemy being on Andy Reid’s staff in Kansas City, arguably the biggest rival of Las Vegas.
Having said that, it’s impossible not to put Bieniemy on this list. Most people around the NFL who have watched the past two coaching cycles churn out new hires have wondered how the Chiefs OC wasn’t one of the ones getting a promotion to being a head coach.
Yes, Bieniemy does work with Andy Reid but all indications are that he is a fantastic offensive mind in his own right who could really benefit any franchise that would hire him. If they can somehow lure him away from a division rival.
1. Kellen Moore
Current Role: Cowboys Offensive Coordinator
Especially with the way things are going right now, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kellen Moore is the hottest head coach candidate for the 2022 season. In Dallas, he has helped to revolutionize the offense by helping make Dak Prescott into a bonafide superstar and consistently earning praise for his approach and play design. He’s not necessarily a cutting-edge innovator but his ability to keep things simple yet nuanced has been incredible.
Moore could be a terrific option for the Raiders to eventually replace Jon Gruden with in the 2022 season. He’s young and could be a fresh face in Sin City but also has a new-age mind combined with an old-school demeanor and approach. That could play well with the front office, in the city and with the fans, so it’s hard to think he wouldn’t be at the top of the Raiders’ list.