Despite a disappointing 2-7 start to Josh McDaniels’ tenure as head coach, Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis isn’t ready to pull the plug on the operation, offering support to the struggling coach after Sunday’s loss to the Colts.
“As far as Josh goes, I don’t have a problem,” Davis told the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Monday. “I’ve gotten to know him very well. When you sign someone to a contract, don’t you expect him to live up to the contract?”
Entering the season with playoff aspirations, the Raiders have fallen apart. They blew big leads, got shut out by a three-win New Orleans team, and have been an undisciplined club.
Despite the struggles, Davis tried to quell rumors that McDaniels might crash in Vegas after one season.
“I like Josh. I think he’s doing a great job. That’s why I hired him,” Davis said. “We did a thorough search and found someone we believe will bring the Raiders to greatness.”
The owner noted that the Raiders are still in the early stages of rebuilding the team under new leadership.
“Life is not static. It’s fluid,” Davis said. “You want to win at the end of the year and be the one holding the trophy. Obviously, we’re not there yet. I know it’s frustrating for the fan base. I feel for them. I’m a fan, too.”
McDaniels noted Monday that his meeting with Davis after Sunday’s loss was normal.
“We meet every week after every game, including the preseason,” McDaniels said. “It’s a normal occurrence for us. He was great. He’s great. He has the same urgency that all of us do, if not more. He’s been here a long time. He’s seen it go well, and he wants to win. He feels frustration at the same time. He’s been incredibly supportive. That’s obviously important when you’re moving forward. But we’re all here because of him and we want to do well for him and we want to do right by him.
“Whatever he feels, I want to know what it is. I think it’s my role and my job. I hope I always understand where he’s at and he’s not hiding anything from us. The way I lead him. And appreciate his support. , and feel his urgency to try whatever he can to help us get there as fast as we want to get there. I don’t know what else I could ask of him.”
After Sunday’s loss, an emotional Derek Carr said he was “angry” at the slow process the Raiders took in 2022.
McDaniels understands his players’ frustration after the loss.
“We’re rebuilding. I would never use rebuilding or any word like that. This is the National Football League,” McDaniels said Monday. “It’s not five years to do that, so we know. I think there’s a process that we’re trying to go through. Certainly slower and more painful than anyone would like. We share the same sentiment. …
“We all know that what we do is valued and that this is a product-based business.”
For now, McDaniels will have more time to build on the disappointing start to his reign in Vegas.