Las Vegas Raiders

Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders will be patient waiting for Ben Johnson to decide if he wants to become their head coach.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Raiders are "willing to wait" for Johnson to become available if the Detroit Lions have a long playoff run.

Rapoport noted Johnson had a virtual interview with the Raiders on Friday. He spoke with the Chicago Bears on Saturday and is also slated to talk to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Brady "has been doing all he can to woo Johnson" to join the Raiders.

Fox Sports' Peter Schrager later added Johnson to the Raiders is "picking up way more steam in league circles" over the last 48 hours.

Johnson figures to be one of the most sought-after coaching candidates in this hiring cycle. The New England Patriots announced on Friday they also completed a virtual interview with the 38-year-old.

Even though the Raiders haven't exactly a model of stability that a prominent candidate like Johnson would seem to prefer, they could have an ace in the hole this time around.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, Brady's presence as part of the Raiders' ownership group has given them "an edge" in attracting candidates who may otherwise not have seriously considered working for them.

Russini previously reported Brady will have "a lot" of influence on the team's coaching search. They are also in the market for a new general manager after firing Tom Telesco on Thursday after a 4-13 record in his lone season with the club.

Another complicating factor in all of this is whether or not Johnson actually wants to leave Detroit. He has been a top head-coaching candidate for the past two years, only to decide he wanted to remain with the Lions.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, some people within the league believe Johnson could return to Detroit in 2025.

Telesco's firing could also help the Raiders with a candidate like Johnson, who would presumably want to be paired with a general manager that he has at least some rapport with to avoid a situation where there are competing roster-building philosophies.

The Raiders need to hit a home run with this hiring because this will be their fifth different head coach since the start of the 2018 season if you include Rich Bisaccia's interim stint in 2021 after Jon Gruden's resignation.

That type of instability is one of the big reasons the Raiders have only made the playoffs twice since 2003.

Legendary NFL quarterback and Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady reportedly has a specific vision for the organization's head coach and general manager search.

Speaking Friday on her Scoop City podcast (beginning at the 7-minute mark), Dianna Russini of The Athletic said the following about Brady's desire for synergy between the Raiders' next coach and GM:

"This has nothing to do with the general managing of Tom Telesco. This has everything to do with what Tom Brady wants to bring to Las Vegas, which is very much the Tom Brady way. Which has extensions to New England. So, in his mind—from what I can gather—is Brady wants a head coach and a GM in tandem that know each other, that are familiar."

On the heels of a 4-13 season, the Raiders fired head coach Antonio Pierce earlier this week and followed that up by firing general manager Tom Telesco on Thursday.

Telesco spent just one season as the Raiders' GM after previously serving as general manager of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2013 to 2023.

While Telesco was responsible for selecting First Team All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft and quality starting guard Jackson Powers-Johnson in the second round, he was unable to figure out the Raiders' quarterback situation.

The signing of veteran signal-caller Gardner Minshew did not pay off, nor did the decision to not take a quarterback in the 2024 draft.

Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Brady will have a "significant voice" when it comes to the Raiders' next head coach and GM, as will Korn Ferry's Jed Hughes, who is a "well-known executive headhunter in the NFL" contracted by the Raiders to help with the search.

Prior to spending his final three seasons as an NFL player with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady played 20 seasons for the New England Patriots, and continuity was a big reason for the organization's success.

In addition to having the same starting quarterback for nearly two decades, the Patriots had the same owner in Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick. Several assistant coaches and front office people remained in place for much of that run as well.

Thanks in large part to that consistency, the Patriots won 16 AFC East titles and six Super Bowls during Brady's tenure.

It is unclear if Brady has anyone specific in mind for the head coaching and GM roles in Vegas, but it sounds as though he wants the hires to have collaborated together in the past, or to at least be comfortable with doing so moving forward.

Given that the Raiders and New York Jets are the only teams with an opening at both head coach and general manager, Vegas can offer a clean slate to prospective candidates, which is something only one other franchise is able to do.

Despite the addition of Tom Brady to the ownership group, the vibes around the Las Vegas Raiders remain low going into another offseason in which they will be looking for a new head coach and general manager.

According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, one unnamed source described the Raiders as the "new Cleveland Browns" with their recent string of contract buyouts for fired coaches and executives.

Vegas announced on Thursday that general manager Tom Telesco has been fired just 12 months after being hired. The move came two days after head coach Antonio Pierce was fired.

Raiders owner Mark Davis has now fired a combined total of six head coaches and general managers since December 2018. Their next head coach will be their fifth since the start of the 2021 season if you include interim Rich Bisaccia after he took over following Jon Gruden's resignation.

The list of coaches and executives fired includes Gruden, Pierce, Telesco, Josh McDaniels, Reggie McKenzie and Mike Mayock.

There has been an expectation that Brady was going to have "a lot" of influence over what the Raiders do this offseason, particularly as it pertains to finding a head coach and quarterback.

In a vacuum, the firings of Pierce and Telesco are justifiable. Pierce had a good stint as interim head coach over the final nine games of the 2023 season, but there was no indication he got better after getting the full-time job.

Telesco was an odd hire in the first place after being fired by the Los Angeles Chargers in December 2023 following a 63-21 loss to the Raiders. His 2024 draft class wasn't great overall, but Brock Bowers is a stud at tight end and a foundation piece for the offense.

But when you look at how much turnover the Raiders have had over the past four years, it's no wonder that this organization has looked directionless because no one has been given the time to properly build a roster to marry with a system.

As for the Browns comparison, at least the Raiders aren't stuck with an albatross contract for a quarterback who was having a historically bad run before suffering a season-ending torn Achilles and had a setback in his rehab that has left his status for 2025 up in the air.

A reunion between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick on the Las Vegas Raiders reportedly isn't a strong possibility.

Mark Maske of the Washington Post revealed on Thursday that Brady, a Raiders minority owner, had a conversation with Belichick regarding a move to Las Vegas, but the team hasn't given "serious consideration" to trying to hire the current North Carolina head coach.

The Raiders fired former head coach Antonio Pierce on Tuesday after finishing with a 4-13 record in 2024.

Las Vegas also parted ways with general manager Tom Telesco on Thursday.

As team owner Mark Davis evaluates candidates regarding the coaching vacancy, ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed that Brady is part of a "collaborative committee" that interviews potential fits for the role.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Wednesday that the Raiders are one of "multiple" teams that have reached out to Belichick, with Brady speaking to him about "what it would take to make a reunion happen."

Belichick signed a five-year deal to become the next head coach of the Tar Heels on Dec. 11 after spending the 2023 season with the New England Patriots. His contract includes a $10 million buyout if he leaves before June 1, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he's considering a return to the NFL.

On Wednesday, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that Belichick has "no plans" to return to the professional level.

The 72-year-old already has quite a lot of history with Brady, as the pair earned six Super Bowl victories during their legendary run in New England from 2000 through 2019.

While Belichick heading to the Raiders doesn't appear to be a legitimate option, they're still beginning an extensive coaching search. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer revealed that Las Vegas already requested interviews with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal also listed former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen as candidates expected to draw interest from the Raiders.

While Belichick may have held conversations with his former quarterback surrounding Las Vegas' vacancy, the Raiders will likely explore other options.

The Las Vegas Raiders are firing general manager Tom Telesco after all.

Las Vegas announced the news Thursday while expressing its appreciation for Telesco's "efforts in helping build a foundation for the future."

The Raiders also fired head coach Antonio Pierce on Tuesday. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that they planned to keep Telesco in the wake of Pierce's firing.

While Telesco's dismissal appears to be a change in direction for the Raiders, it does allow them to bring in a new head coach and general manager during the same offseason.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported Telesco was fired "mostly because ownership seems to prefer having the general manager and head coach more connected—like a cohesive partnership—rather than something that feels more arranged or forced."

She also noted that minority owner Tom Brady "has lots of influence in Las Vegas."

Vic Tafur of The Athletic provided more context to the situation with Brady:

The Raiders have certainly been a team to watch at the start of this coaching cycle, as they had Pierce do an end-of-season press conference Monday and then fired him Tuesday. Now they seemingly changed course on the general manager position.

"It was a situation so awkward inside the team's headquarters that, according to sources who spoke with Yahoo Sports, Pierce had already started discussing potential coaching staff changes hours before he learned he was losing his job," Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports wrote Thursday.

Telesco didn't exactly have a lot of time to turn things around for the Raiders.

Las Vegas hired him ahead of the 2024 season after he was the general manager of the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers for 11 seasons from 2013-23. Los Angeles made the playoffs three times during his tenure, although it never advanced past the divisional round.

The 2024 season was one to forget for the Raiders, as they finished 4-13 and cycled through Gardner Minshew II, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder at quarterback. They also traded star wide receiver Davante Adams to the New York Jets and appear well behind the other three playoff-bound teams in their division.

Yet there is an opportunity for the next general manager and coach to turn things around in the near future.

Las Vegas has the No. 6 overall pick of the 2025 NFL draft and the second-most cap space in the league heading into the offseason, according to Spotrac, trailing only the New England Patriots.

The Raiders' new coach and general manager will now have the chance to work together on the same timeline.

Mike Vrabel may be former New England Patriots teammates with Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, but that doesn't mean the AFC West team is automatically going to interview him for its head-coaching vacancy.

Vic Tafur of The Athletic reported Thursday that Las Vegas has not set up an interview with Vrabel, who remains one of the most notable names of the coaching cycle.

Vrabel and Brady played together on the Patriots from 2001 through 2008. The team won three Super Bowls during that stretch, and it was easy to assume the legendary quarterback might try to bring his former teammate in after the Raiders fired Antonio Pierce.

That was especially the case after Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported Brady was expected to have "a lot" of influence in the Raiders' search for their next coach.

Vrabel would seem like a logical candidate given the connection in place and his experience. He was the head coach of the Tennessee Titans for six seasons and went 54-45 while reaching the playoffs three times and taking home the 2021 Coach of the Year.

He also led Tennessee to the AFC Championship Game during the 2019 campaign.

Yet Las Vegas probably isn't the most desirable destination for a coaching candidate at this point. The Raiders are coming off a 4-13 season, don't have a franchise quarterback in place and select at No. 6 overall in the 2025 NFL draft, which means they may miss on top prospects such as Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.

What's more, the AFC West is loaded with three other playoff teams in the division in the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos. Any coach taking over in Las Vegas will be facing an uphill battle to remain in the postseason picture for the foreseeable future.

By comparison, openings such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears and Patriots all have young, franchise quarterbacks in place that may appeal to Vrabel and other candidates.

Mark Daniels of MassLive said he believes Vrabel is New England's "top target," and returning to the franchise that helped him win so many Lombardi Trophies may be appealing to the coach as well.

For now, it seems as if the Raiders will be looking elsewhere to find their next head coach while Vrabel is seen as a leading candidate for other teams.

Former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh is scheduled to interview for the Las Vegas Raiders' vacant head coaching position, according to ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones also reported the Raiders intend to speak with Saleh.

Florio added that Saleh will also interview for the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coaching job on Tuesday.

The Raiders' head coaching post became available this week when they fired Antonio Pierce on the heels of a 4-13 season.

After a successful four-year run as the San Francisco 49ers' defensive coordinator, the Jets hired Saleh as their head coach in 2021 in hopes that he could get them to the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

That never happened, though, as New York went 20-36 under Saleh, leading to his firing after a 2-3 start in 2024.

Saleh was replaced by Jeff Ulbrich on an interim basis, but things didn't get any better after Saleh's departure, as the Jets went 3-9, giving them a 5-12 record overall.

After getting fired by the Jets, Saleh joined the Green Bay Packers as an offensive consultant, and helped get the Packers into the playoffs with an 11-6 record.

If the Raiders were to hire Saleh as head coach, he would face an uphill climb getting them back on track following three consecutive losing seasons.

Over the past 22 seasons, the Raiders have reached the playoffs only twice, and they lost in the AFC Wild Card Round both times.

Since releasing Derek Carr at the conclusion of the 2022 season, quarterback play has been a huge issue for the Raiders, as the veteran signings of Jimmy Garoppolo and Gardner Minshew both fell flat.

Aidan O'Connell, a 2023 fourth-round pick out of Purdue, has been the Raiders' best option under center during that stretch, but seems better served as a backup than a starter.

It wasn't long ago that the Raiders were positioned to possibly land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but Pierce led them to two wins over their final three games, meaning they will now pick sixth.

Since quarterback-needy teams such as the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants ahead of them, it is difficult to envision the Raiders landing a potential franchise quarterback in Colorado's Shedeur Sanders or Miami's Cam Ward.

That means Saleh or whoever lands the head coaching job in Vegas may have to make do with a patchwork quarterback situation for at least one more season.

While Saleh is in the mix for some head coaching jobs, he may have a quality fallback option in place.

NFL insider Josina Anderson reported this week that the 49ers are expected to make him an offer to return as defensive coordinator under head coach Kyle Shanahan if he does not get hired as a head coach.

The Las Vegas Raiders sent former head coach Antonio Pierce out for an end-of-season press conference Monday and then fired him Tuesday, ending what was described as an "awkward" conclusion to his brief tenure.

"It was a situation so awkward inside the team's headquarters that, according to sources who spoke with Yahoo Sports, Pierce had already started discussing potential coaching staff changes hours before he learned he was losing his job," Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports wrote Thursday.

It wasn't supposed to be this way for Pierce and the Raiders in 2024. After all, they went 5-4 with him as the interim coach to end the 2023 campaign, which generated plenty of momentum heading into the new year.

However, that momentum quickly dissipated as the Raiders went 4-13 under Pierce this season.

Along the way, the Raiders traded star receiver Davante Adams to the New York Jets and saw starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II suffer a season-ending broken collarbone after going 2-7 as a starter.

Cycling through Minshew, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder at quarterback didn't exactly set Pierce up for extended success, especially in an AFC West division that has Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix under center on the other three playoff-bound teams.

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers was about the only bright spot for the Raiders this season. They are now looking for a new head coach to help correct course.

As for Pierce, other teams may recognize the difficult situation he was placed in during his time with Las Vegas and give him a chance down the line. The former NFL linebacker was the defensive coordinator at Arizona State and linebackers coach with the Raiders before he was promoted to head coach. He could catch on somewhere as a defensive coach.

Perhaps things will be less awkward at his next destination than they were in his final hours with the Raiders.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is arguably the most coveted head coaching candidate on the market, and he's reportedly chosen four teams to speak to this week.

According to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, Johnson scheduled interviews with the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots on Friday and the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday. All meetings will be virtual, per NFL rules, while the Lions have a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs.

Johnson has been Detroit's offensive coordinator since 2022 and established himself as one of the most innovative minds in all of football. This season, the team led the NFL with 33.2 points per game and ranked second with 409.5 total yards per game on its way to finishing 15-2 to win its second straight NFC North title and clinch the NFC No. 1 seed.

Johnson's creativity and play-calling acumen have set him apart from other head coaching candidates, but despite drawing interest from other teams in previous offseasons, he chose to remain with the Lions until he felt the right situation became available. The 38-year-old explained his thought process regarding pursuing a head coaching job to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press in May.

"I'm not going to do it just to do it. I love what I'm doing right now. Love it. Love it. I love where I'm at. My family loves where we're at," Johnson said at the time. "Love the people that we're doing it with, and so I'm not willing to go down the other path yet unless I feel really good about how it's going to unfold."

While there's always a chance Johnson chooses to remain in Detroit for another year, the four teams he's agreed to interview with all have aspects that he can feel good about. The Bears, Patriots and Jaguars all have clear directions at the quarterback position with Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence, respectively. The Raiders have a potential game-changing talent in promising rookie tight end Brock Bowers.

Wherever Johnson ends up, it's clear that he will implement a creative offensive system that will put his players in the best positions to succeed.

Amid interest from a handful of NFL teams, including the Las Vegas Raiders, legendary coach Bill Belichick reportedly won't leave his new job at North Carolina to rejoin the NFL ranks.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, Belichick has "no plans" to return to the NFL and his "sole focus is on coaching and recruiting" for the Tar Heels. Russini also reported that Belichick is recruiting in New Jersey on Wednesday.

Belichick, who coached his last season for the New England Patriots in 2023, agreed to become the next head coach of North Carolina on Dec. 11, inking a five-year contract with the Tar Heels.

In his introductory press conference, he made it clear that taking the job in Chapel Hill isn't just a gateway for him to get back to the NFL.

"I didn't come here to leave," he told reporters on Dec. 12.

But Belichick's commitment to North Carolina hasn't swayed teams with vacant coaching positions from reaching out to him. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday that Raiders minority owner Tom Brady has been in touch with his former coach, noting that "Brady believes the situation in Las Vegas requires a coach of Belichick's expertise and stature to establish a sustainable winning program."

Las Vegas fired Antonio Pierce on Tuesday after his one-year stint saw the Raiders go 4-13. Pelissero reported that "at least one other team" has checked in on Belichick's interest in an NFL gig.

Belichick's contract with the Tar Heels includes a $10 million buyout if he leaves before June 1, 2025. While that would be a steep figure to pay, getting a contract with an NFL team would make it a bit easier.

For now, it seems Belichick is staying put in the collegiate ranks.

He's taking over a North Carolina program that has seen relative success in recent years but is far from being of championship caliber. The Tar Heels finished 6-7 in 2024, leading to veteran coach Mack Brown's firing after six seasons.

Though Belichick has no experience as a college coach, the six-time Super Bowl champion will look to take what he learned in the professional ranks and apply it to a college football landscape shifting more toward a professional model in the age of NIL.