Following Josh McDaniels’ Sacking, Ben Johnson Emerges Front Runner Alongside 4 Others for Raiders HC Hot Seat

Josh McDaniels has been fired as the Raiders Head Coach after losing to the Detroit Lions. Linebacker coach Antonio Pierce has been appointed as the interim coach, but he has no head-coaching experience. That creates the need for an immediate and reliable head coach for the franchise. In that regard, some big names and fellow coaches are rumored to be in the queue for the vacant role. 

In this article, we will list 5 major candidates that are best suited, or somewhat best interested, to take up the position. Ranking from the most suited to 5th most suited, let’s take a close look at the list.

Five potential candidates that can replace Josh McDaniels

The top contender in the list has to be Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Johnson is, ironically, the reason behind McDaniels losing his job. He took up the Lions role last year, and his offense has proven to be one of the league’s best. Other than the 5-2, Johnson’s offense is 4th in yards and 8th in points in the league. However, last year, he turned down an offer from the Panthers, trusting in the Lions. So, it will be a hard task for the Raiders to convince him.

The second most probable contender is Dolphins‘ offensive coordinator Frank Smith. The relentless Miami attack is the creation of Smith and Mike McDaniel, who joined their new roles in the past year. Smith’s ideology consists of aggressive and physical plays that can benefit any other team, let alone the Raiders. Added to his charisma, the combination casually makes him another top contender for the role.

Eagles‘ offensive coordinator Brian Johnson follows up at the third place. It was under his supervision that Jalen Hurts was turned into the big name he is today. However, the second Johnson on the list works best when assigned to a talented quarterback, and his entire game plan revolves around him. The Raiders have a talented, veteran QB in Jimmy Garoppolo, making Johnson a perfect fit.

Read More: Revealed – Three Reasons Behind The Firing of Josh McDaniels

Another frontrunner could be the Carolina Panthers‘ quarterback coach Josh McCown. McCown might be a bit underrated, but he is a master of delivering performances when it comes to the offense. A quarterback himself, McCown had a lengthy career in the league and probably senses the heartbeat of the players better than anyone on the list. He, too, is known for his QB-centric gameplay and is a perfect replacement for McDaniels.

Lastly, Bills Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey is another potential candidate for the role who closes the five-man list. Dorsey is credited with the development of Josh Allen alongside Brian Daboll, and his effect on the team has been much more than just one individual. The Bills continue to improve offensively under his tenure since taking over the role last year.

But one may ask, why was McDaniels fired in the first place? Losing to the mighty Lions might not be the evaluation of his performance; after all, the team that surprised the defending champion Chiefs in the season opener. In reality, the dissatisfaction with McDaniels was building up for a long time with the team’s continuous underperformance. And that dates back even before the season started.

Josh McDaniels’ Raiders: An epitome of embarrassment

It’s not hard to see why McDaniels was relieved of his duties when we turn back the pages a year. In his 21-month tenure, the head coach incurred some of the worst defeats in the franchise history. McDaniels set the record for the highest-point blowout in the Raider’s history when they lost despite a 20-point lead over the Cardinals last season.

Eight weeks later, the Raiders lost to an interim-managed Colts team that lost every other match during that period except this one. The interim coach, Jeff Saturday, had never coached beyond a high-school level team before that.

In December, McDaniels bottled a double-digit lead against the Rams and Baker Mayfield, who was only two days old at the franchise then. Even in the current season, Chicago Bears’ undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent proved too much for the Raiders, who just made his way out of the Second Division. These added with a few more similar displays, paved the way for McDaniels’ Vegas exit, and the Lions’ defeat was just the final nail in the coffin.

The Raiders have named linebacker coach Antonio Pierce as the interim coach. His first game is comparably an easier challenge, as the team takes on the NY Giants on Sunday, November 5. How will Pierce handle the pressure of taking the head coach’s role for the first time in his career? Let us know in the comments.

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