Though Raiders coach Hue Jackson could have survived in the job if G.M. Reggie McKenzie had desired to keep him, McKenzie’s chances of keeping Hue took a major blow after Jackson openly talked about assuming more authority over the team.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, public comments from Jackson regarding his desire to exert greater influence rubbed owner Mark Davis and those advising him (e.g., John Madden, Ron Wolf) the wrong way.
“I’m going take a stronger hand in this whole team, this whole organization,” Jackson said after the Raiders’ season ended with a disappointing 8-8 record. “There ain’t no way that I’m going to feel like I feel today a year from now, I promise you that. There’s no question. Defensively, offensively and special teams. I ain’t feeling like this no more. This is a joke. . . . Yeah, I’m going to take a hand in everything that goes on here.”
The next day, Jackson made things even worse for himself. “I would hope that as the head coach of this football team I would hope that the organization understands that I have a pretty good idea of where we need to go,” he said as to his possible involvement in the search for a General Manager. “Because if not, then I shouldn’t be where I’m sitting.”
As it turns out, Jackson had plenty of influence on the organization. He said that if the organization didn’t think he should be involved in the search for a G.M., he “shouldn’t be where [he’s] sitting.”
And now he isn’t.