Is Josh McDaniels A Problem In Las Vegas?
By Andy Davies
Darren Waller was been traded to the New York Giants earlier this week for the cheap price of a third-round pick. This is the end result of a public fallout between him and head coach Josh McDaniels.
In what was a disappointing first season as Raiders head coach and rumours of several fallouts with staff, is McDaniels a problem in Vegas?
Not His First Rodeo
This is McDaniels’ second stint at a head coaching role. He lasted just a season and a half with the Denver Broncos between 2009 and 2010, before losing his job mid-season.
He is best known for his fallout with Jay Cutler before his first game as head coach – in a saga that foreshadowed the rest of his time in Colorado.
The potential trade between McDaniels and the team he joined from, the New England Patriots, involving Cutler and Matt Cassel led to unrest.
Cutler wanted out, and a trade was agreed between Denver and the Chicago Bears in April 2009 for him to be traded in exchange for quarterback Kyle Orton and a 2009 fifth-round pick.
Whilst Orton had the best statistical season of his career under McDaniels, that did not stop him drafting Tim Tebow in 2010. Whilst Tebow had his moment in the sun, his overall NFL career was one of disappointment and his career highs all came after McDaniels lost his job.
The current offseason has seen long-time Raiders quarterback Derek Carr traded after losing his place as the starter, just one year on from signing a long-term deal and expressing his desire to stay with the franchise for the rest of his career. His replacement, Jimmy Garoppolo, is a similar quality quarterback.
With the upside of having already worked under McDaniels in New England, Garoppolo could be someone that improves the team. However, we have yet to see a quarterback work with McDaniels as a head coach.
More Discontent
Darren Waller JUST GOT MARRIED to Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces and Josh McDaniels’ wedding present was to trade him to the New York Giants. McDaniels is NOT a romantic.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) March 14, 2023
Darren Waller has been traded just ten days after getting married to WNBA player Kelsey Plum, of the Las Vegas Aces. The Mirror reported that Plum felt that this was because McDaniels was not invited to the wedding.
It is reported that Waller was not happy with McDaniels for announcing their wedding, one that was planned to be private. This is not the first time that McDaniels has upset people during his NFL career.
He was due to be the Indianapolis Colts head coach in 2018 before ditching them last minute, and there was a videotaping scandal whilst with the Broncos, which ultimately led to his dismissal.
McDaniels spoke in February 2022 about his failure in Denver. He said: “I didn’t really know people and how important that aspect of this process, and maintaining the culture and building the team was. And I failed, and I didn’t succeed at it.
“Looking at that experience has been one of the best things in my life in terms of my overall growth as a person, as a coach. What do I need to do different, how do I need to handle my role, if I have another opportunity, and do better at it? I feel like that’s really an area that I’ve tried to grow in.”
However, it does not appear that this has been the case. From the fallouts with Carr and Waller, two key components of the past three to four seasons, to the aforementioned Cutler situation. In the recent NFLPA report cards, the following was said about McDaniels:
“Player respondents felt that Head Coach Josh McDaniels is less likely to listen to his players and keeps them for longer hours than other Head Coaches around the league.”
This is an indicting statement on McDaniels, who does not appear to have learnt his lessons.
Rocky Forecast
McDaniels was fired by the Broncos with a total record of 11-17. His record with the Raiders in 2022 of 6-11 does not bode well for the future. Especially in a tough AFC West division.
Who do the Raiders face twice every season? Only the most recent Super Bowl MVP and two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will be looking for their third Super Bowl of the Andy Reid era and become the first team since the 2004 Patriots to go back-to-back.
Not only have they won two Super Bowls in recent times, but they have also reached five straight AFC Championships and have hosted them all, winning three of the five. Mahomes has never had a road game in a playoff game that isn’t a Super Bowl.
Also in the division they face an exciting quarterback in Justin Herbert and a Denver Broncos team who now have Sean Payton as their head coach. They still have Davante Adams but it is hard to see him staying for long without a chance of winning, especially considering he joined the team to play with the departed Derek Carr.
The Raiders could be set for years of mediocrity, and the way his second stint as an NFL head coach is going, McDaniels is unlikely to be there too much longer unless he changes his behaviour.
ANDY DAVIES
NFL ANALYST
A current Sports Journalism masters student, Andy has been writing NFL articles since January 2020. Originally from Wales, Andy also writes for pro football mania and dolphins talk, as well as appearing on podcasts and videos for euro tripz. find him on twitter @andydaviessport.