The Raiders went 7–5 under interim coach Rich Bisaccia in 2021, and the team appeared to rally around him after Jon Gruden was forced to resign following the release of racist, misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ+ emails.
Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby endorsed Bisaccia to remain the head coach, noting Bisaccia is “the best man for the job.” One anonymous Raider gave the best reason for him to stay while taking a shot at his former head coach.
“We didn’t have Gruden grinding us late in the year,” a Raiders veteran told Silver. “Gruden would kill us, and we would fall apart. The reason this team played so well down the stretch is that Rich listened to the players and took it easy over the back half of the season.”
The Raiders had a lot of momentum going for them before star wide receiver Henry Ruggs was involved in a car accident that left a 23-year-old woman and her dog dead. Ruggs was cut and the team promptly lost five of their next six. In Gruden’s previous two seasons, the team started off hot only to collapse at the end of the season.
Las Vegas is expected to undergo a wide search for its new head coach, with Jim Harbaugh being the most notable name out there. Bisaccia reportedly faces an uphill climb to get the gig, no matter how many of the players love him.
Las Vegas snapped a four-year playoff drought in 2021 as it finished 10–7 before losing to Joe Burrow and the Bengals in the AFC wild-card round.
Keeping Rich Bisaccia on the staff should be a must if the team decides to look elsewhere for the head coaching position.
