How long will it take?
Here we are on another Mark Davis head coaching search. This will be Davis’ sixth full-time head-coaching hire in just more than 13 years and the third search in three years with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Davis fired Antonio Pierce as head coach on January 7. When will he hire a replacement as interviews have begun?
Let’s look at is hiring history to try look for clues to when he may make the hires?
2012
The 2011 season ended January 1. Davis moved fast as he hired Reggie McKenzie to be the Raiders’ first general manager after the death of Davis’ father, Al Davis, a few months earlier, on January 5. That’s when the head-coaching search kicked off. McKenzie then led the charge to hire Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen on January 24. So, it was a 19-day coaching search
2015
The 2014 season ended December 28. Davis, with McKenzie’s help, led the process to for a new coach. Jack Del Rio was hired over interim head coach, the late Tony Sparano, on January 14. Thus, it was a 17-day coaching search
2018
Del Rio was fired December 31, 2017, moments after the season finale. Davis hired Jon Gruden on January 6. So, it was super fast. But this was move was in the works before Del Rio was fired, so this was an unusually six-day hiring process.
2022
The Raiders’ lost in the playoffs on January 15. Josh McDaniels was secured on the 30th, so it was a 15-day process.
2024
The Raiders’ 2023 season ended January 7, 2024. Pierce was hired January 19. There was no real coaching search conducted and it was a foregone conclusion Pierce would be promoted from the interim coach position.
Conclusion:
As you see, there have been several different approaches. This search so far seems more normal. There are no early favorites a pre-picked coaches. So, it will probably be more like the 2012, ‘15 and ‘22 and be in the two-three week range. Remember, the actual hiring date could be affected if the targeted coach goes deep into the playoffs or participates in the Super Bowl, which could be the case with some of the candidates.
