The Raiders’ first season in Las Vegas didn’t go as planned on multiple fronts.
They never had fans at their new stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic and they failed to show the kind of improvement that many hoped to see in head coach Jon Gruden’s third season. The 8-8 record makes him 19-29 in his current tour with the franchise and Raiders owner Mark Davis said “there hasn’t been any real progress” for the team in recent seasons.
Despite that feeling, Davis isn’t looking to change course. He said he’s “happy with” Gruden and General Manager Mike Mayock and continues to have faith that they are the right leaders for the organization.
“Absolutely,” Davis said, via Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “In Year 1 with Jon, it was a deconstructive phase where he wanted to get things down to more salary cap control and really start building the team. We made a little progress in Year 2 but obviously not enough. Mike then came in and our drafting and player management was a little different. I thought we made some progress there. We were really looking forward to this inaugural season in Las Vegas -- our new practice facility and everything else. All the things we dreamed of were coming true. But this season -- and I’ve said it many, many, many times -- life got in the way with the virus.”
Davis said he thinks it is “hard to say” how close the Raiders are to being a playoff team because the COVID-related circumstances of the season didn’t provide a “true picture” of where the team stands. He did say they “have to make progress” and a postseason berth would be the most tangible sign that the team is moving in the right direction.