Ever since losing the Super Bowl in 2002 to former head coach Jon Gruden and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Oakland Raiders have been the worst team in the NFL. They have suffered through 11 consecutive seasons without a winning record, and look to be on their way to a 12th after starting this year 0-4.
The Raiders have also had seven different head coaches during that time span with none lasting more than two full seasons. Now the Raiders will have to find an eighth coach.
After two consecutive 4-12 seasons, Dennis Allen needed to get off to a solid start in order to retain his job in Oakland. He failed to do so and now the team has decided to fire him as Fox News’ Jay Glazer reported:
Breaking: Raiders have just informed Dennis Allen he is fired.
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) September 30, 2014
Obviously the team will not bring in a new full-time head coach in the middle of the season, and though they haven’t named their interim coach, there are only a couple of options according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Raiders interim HC options are asst HC Tony Sparano and OC Greg Olson. Undetermined for now.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 30, 2014
Allen being let go after the Raiders’ 38-14 loss to the Dolphins is no surprise. What is interesting, however, is that the team did so over the phone on Monday night, despite being on an 11 hour flight from London last night.
The Oakland Raiders’ management doesn’t have the greatest reputation among the public and going about this move in the manner they did surely won’t help that. Regardless, the rumors will soon begin flying about who will be next to try and turn around a Raiders franchise that has been in a tailspin for over a decade.
