For the Raiders, Jack Del Rio was good in 2016. In fact, he was very good, improving by five games to sport a 12-and-four slate and make the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons. It’s why owner Mark Davis didn’t think twice about giving him a contract extension running through 2020. The future was bright, and he looked to be a big part of it; Derek Carr had become a star at center, and the approved relocation to Las Vegas from Oakland underscored the franchise’s potential to build a fan base with success as the foundation.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, Jack Del Rio wasn’t very good last year. In fact, he was very bad, losing 10 games to come out with an even worse record than in his first year as head coach. It wasn’t all his fault; he had incredible bad luck, with Carr getting injured and then failing to keep his upward trajectory under new offensive coordinator Todd Downing and highly touted draft picks Gareon Conley and Obi Melifonwu suiting up infrequently due to a variety of issues. He also saw defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. lasting just over half the season. Which, in a nutshell, was why he found himself without a job by the turn of the year. As he noted in the aftermath of his firing, “it’s a results business.”
In retrospect, Del Rio wound up being a victim of expectations he himself fueled. That said, he also made mistakes, and none bigger than his decision to hire Downing vice Bill Musgrave, who guided Carr to the sixth-best offense in the National Football League (NFL). In the process, the Raiders’ preseason prognosis of reaching the Super Bowl turned into after-season reality of missing the playoffs altogether.
In any case, the Raiders have grand plans moving forward. Davis has his eyes set on getting ESPN analyst Jon Gruden to occupy the hot seat, with reports speculating that he would be going so far as to offer his former head coach an ownership stake. Still, there’s no sure thing in the NFL; while it’s a step in the right direction, only time will tell whether any moves from here on will pan out. Just ask Del Rio, who was beloved by his players and who seemed to be on track to win with consistency.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.
