Day after losing to Chiefs, Raiders hire Mike Mayock as next general manager
Coach Jon Gruden found another former television analyst to help him on his rebuild of the Oakland Raiders.
One day after their season-ending 35-3 loss to the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, the Raiders hired former NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock as their new general manager on Monday, a person familiar with the move confirmed. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the hiring hadn’t been announced. ESPN first reported the move.
Gruden had been searching for a general manager after the team fired Reggie McKenzie earlier in a 4-12 season. It was an underwhelming return to the sideline for Gruden, who got a 10-year, $100 million contract to return for a second stint in Oakland after spending nine seasons as an analyst at ESPN.
The team has experienced nothing but losing, posting the second-worst record in the NFL since the start of the 2003 season. This season was up there with some of the worst in that stretch. The Raiders allowed their most points (467) in a season since 1961 and set marks for franchise worsts in sacks (13) and yards per play allowed (6.27).
Star pass rusher Khalil Mack was traded to the Bears before the season for a package that included two first-round picks following a contract holdout, and receiver Amari Cooper was dealt during the season to the Cowboys for a 2019 first-rounder.
The Raiders’ offensive line, featuring rookie tackles Kolton Miller and Brandon Parker, for most of the season failed to protect Carr. Oakland allowed 52 sacks, its most since 2006, and Carr often struggled to find the time to get the ball downfield. While Carr showed some signs of improvement late in the season as he grew more comfortable in Gruden’s system, the offense lacked playmakers on the outside and a game-breaking running back.
The Raiders were barely competitive for much of the season, losing nine games by at least 14 points, tied for the most lopsided losses in the NFL since New England had 10 in 1990. Oakland was outscored by 177 points on the season, the second-worst mark in the NFL to Arizona.
Gruden inherited McKenzie, who won the 2016 NFL executive of the year award for his rebuilding job after the death of late owner Al Davis in 2011. The pairing didn’t work as Gruden frequently criticized McKenzie’s recent drafts and got rid of many of those players.
Now the Raiders are hoping for a better working relationship between Gruden and Mayock, who was widely respected as a draft analyst since 2006 but now will be responsible for helping to make the picks. Mayock has no experience in an NFL front office but will work with Gruden on upgrading a scouting and personnel department that struggled to find impact players in recent years.