The status of the assistant coaches of the Oakland Raiders has been left in limbo as only two of head coach Dennis Allen’s assistant remained under contract for the 2014 season.
Owner Mark Davis was seeking to bring back Allen’s assistants on just one-year contract extensions while the assistants wanted longer contracts.
Now that Allen has been confirmed as remaining the team’s head coach next season, the status of the assistant coaches should also be resolved shortly. However, one of Allen’s assistants apparently isn’t willing to remain on the coaching staff.
According to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle, assistant head coach and offensive line coach Tony Sparano will not be remaining with the Raiders and is instead headed to join Lovie Smith’s staff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Davis apparently wouldn’t budge on the idea of two-year contracts for the assistant and five coaches have agreed to the one-year extension, per the report.
Sparano is not one of them and balked at the prospect of just a one-year extension. He would join offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier on Smith’s staff in Tampa Bay.