A surprising 24-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers was not enough to save Oakland Raiders General Manager Reggie McKenzie. According to reports by NFL Networks’ Ian Rapoport, the Raiders have decided to part ways with McKenzie following a 3-10 start to the season.
#Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie had a meeting with his scouts today where he informed them he was fired, per me and @TomPelissero. He was given the chance to stay the season, but is not expected to do so.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 10, 2018
Oakland Raiders Relieve Reggie McKenzie of Duties
Monday’s firing doesn’t come as that big of a surprise around the NFL landscape. The Raiders, currently 3-10, have one of the weaker rosters in the league. Additionally, the team traded away star pass rusher Khalil Mack prior to the season after Jon Gruden and McKenzie didn’t see eye-to-eye on an extension. In all, the Raiders went 9-20 over the last two years of McKenzie’s reign.
McKenzie first joined the Raiders organization prior to the 2012 season. Taking over for the departed Al Davis, McKenzie’s first course of action was firing then-coach Hue Jackson and replacing him with Dennis Allen. Inheriting a bad salary cap situation with minimal draft picks, the Raiders went 8-24 under McKenzie’s first two seasons.
However, the fate of the Raiders franchise appeared to be on the rise after back-to-back successful drafts. In 2014, Allen selected Khalil Mack and quarterback Derek Carr with his first two picks, and followed it up by drafting Amari Cooper in 2015.
McKenzie’s time as GM peaked during the 2016 season. With Derek Carr playing at a borderline MVP level, the Raiders improved to 11-5, earning their first playoff berth since 2002. However, Carr suffered a season-ending injury in Week 16, and the Raiders went one-and-done against the Houston Texans.
Interestingly enough, this was not McKenzie’s first tenure with the Raiders franchise. Back in 1985, the then-Los Angeles Raiders selected him in the 10th round of the 1985 NFL Draft. McKenzie spent five years in the NFL, four of which came with the Raiders franchise. During that time, McKenzie appeared in 58 games at linebacker, starting 40 and recording two interceptions.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
