Raiders owner Mark Davis got a head start when it comes to hiring his next coach. Davis has not yet begun to use it.
Davis hasn’t launched a searching search to fill a job that opened on October 11, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Davis, per the report, actually has rebuffed inquiries from “many interested parties.”
Davis has delayed the process because he’s focused on getting his team to the playoffs. But, frankly, what does Davis have to actually do? He’s not involved in football operations. It’s a perfect opportunity for him to begin identifying candidates and securing a broad range of background information, narrowing a very large universe to the group that will eventually be pursued.
It’s also possible that Davis may press the reset button, hiring both a new G.M. and a new head coach. That could entail a structure that would entail the G.M. having significant input in the selection of the coach. Maybe, then, the final decision will be influenced by whether the post-Gruden Raiders can get to the playoffs. If so, maybe Mayock stays — and maybe Mayock hires the next coach.