In the end, the fact that Raiders G.M. Reggie McKenzie and coach Hue Jackson share an agent meant nothing. PFT has confirmed that the Raiders, via a decision made by the newly-hired McKenzie, have fired Hue Jackson, after one 8-8 season. The news was first reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Agent Kennard McGuire has been trying hard to throw water on persistent speculation, first hatched right here only four days ago, that Jackson could be fired.
We continued to add details in recent days, pointing out that McKenzie will control the football operations -- and that he will possess the power to hire and fire the coach.
And so the termination of Jackson comes even before McKenzie’s formal introduction as General Manager. It’s unknown whether McKenzie’s press conference will include an explanation of the reasons for the decision.
The next question becomes the identity of the next coach, and speculation has centered on Packers assistant head coach/inside linebackers coach Winston Moss. Then the question becomes whether Moss, or whoever the next coach may be, will want to keep quarterback Carson Palmer, the man for whom Jackson gave up a first-round pick in 2012 and a second-round pick (which could still upgrade to a first-round pick) in 2013.