On Tuesday, the NFL world got clarity on one of many vacancies, as the Las Vegas Raiders are closing in on hiring Tom Telesco to be their new general manager. I am actually impressed that the Raiders are consistently the laughingstock of the AFC West. About halfway through the 2023 NFL Season, they fired their head coach, Josh McDaniels.
McDaniels is well-known among Broncos Country, so I do not need to elaborate more on him. They made Antonio Pierce the interim head coach. Before taking that interim job, he was the team's linebackers coach. He began that role in 2022, so the 2023 season was just his second year coaching in the NFL, and his sixth year coaching between the collegiate and NFL ranks.
Sources: All signs point to the #Raiders hiring former #Chargers GM Tom Telesco as their new GM. A surprise!
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 23, 2024
Telesco built one of the NFL’s best rosters over a decade with the rival Chargers. Now, he’s expected to stay in the division. pic.twitter.com/bJuXuAx39n
There are a ton of amazing head coaching candidates this cycle. Names like Bill Belichick, Jim Harbaugh, and Mike Vrabel, have interviewed for various openings. And all three are incredible football coaches that would have instantly improved the Raiders organization overnight. But instead of shooting for a legitimate head coach, they decided to listen to their players (which doesn't really work) and ripped the interim tag from Pierce, making him the permanent head coach.
And then, to double-down on their insanity, they are closing in on hiring former Los Angeles Chargers GM Tom Telesco for their vacant GM spot. Yes, Tom Telesco, the GM who went 84-95 from 2013-2023 with the Chargers. The GM who was only able to see the playoffs three times, and the GM with five losing seasons.
The Las Vegas Raiders surely could have shot much bigger for their head coach and GM openings, but they clearly do not care about winning football games by making these hires. One thing is for sure in the AFC West; the Raiders are going to Raider.
The Broncos should be laughing their rear ends off right now.